


Heart of a Dragon

by spirithorse



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Dragonheart AU, Fantasy, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-04
Updated: 2010-09-04
Packaged: 2017-10-11 11:31:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 163,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/111957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithorse/pseuds/spirithorse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. This is a tale of a Knight who slew a Dragon and vanquished evil. Yugi is the prince of a small kingdom which is rocked by revolutions by the peasants. When his father is killed in one of these revolts, the crown goes to his uncle, who is determined to kill off the true prince to allow for his own son to rule. Forced into the life of a roving exile with his father's loyal knight, Mahad, Yugi finds himself making a living off slaying dragons; until one comes to him with an interesting proposition.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Plans and Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story came out of my love for the movie Dragonheart and its (in my opinion) utter crap sequel; think subbed Yu-Gi-Oh and the 4Kids version and you get the caliber of these two movies. Anyway, I wanted to do a version of this for a while because I love the movie, but the plot sort of became my own. While they are moments taken from the movie Dragonheart and the basic plot remains the same, more of the events are from my own mind.

_ **This is a tale of a Knight who slew a Dragon and vanquished evil.** _

_-The Chronicles of the Morningstar and Dragonheart_  
A brief history of the struggles during the reign  
Of King Seto as set down by  
Ryou, a simple poet

* * *

 

 

**Chapter One: Plans and Promises**

  
**_And, thus, did the scythe our king's life take;  
And, with it a new tyrant make_**

The sun shone down on the ruins of a fortress, making the white stone seem even brighter. From the fallen stones came the sound of shouts and wood striking wood. A tall knight, wearing no armor, backed out of the shadow of one of the stones and ducked to avoid hitting his head on a low archway. A young man followed him, a wooden sword held in guard position in front of him.

The young man was equally as tall as the knight, both of them unusually so for people in the kingdom. The young man stared at the knight through dark brown bangs, the rest of his hair tied back at the base of his neck. There was a flicker of a smile on his face, the emotion making the dark blue eyes glitter for a moment before the young man lunged at the knight, forcing him back.

From one of the rocks, a hand appeared over the top, followed by the rest of a small boy. He grunted as he clambered to the top of the rock, swaying on his perch before sitting down and watching the two combatants; every now and again brushing his blonde lightning-shaped bangs out of his purple eyes. He rocketed to his feet as the young man managed to get behind the knight, cheering out his cousin. "Get him, Seto!"

On the ground, Seto laughed at his younger cousin's enthusiasm, the laughter disappearing when the knight abruptly spun around and met the thrust easily. Seto grunted as he was thrown backwards, falling to the ground. He looked up, letting his head drop to the ground as the knight leveled the wooden practice blade to his throat. "Better, Seto, but you're still dead."

The remained in those poses for a while before the knight extended a tanned hand to help Seto up, smiling as the young man roughly brushed himself off. Seto brought the practice sword up to guard position as soon as he was ready, earning a laugh from the knight. "Ready already?"

"No fair, Seto." The smaller boy slipped from his perch, easily scaling down the rock to rush to his cousin's side. "You promised that I could have my turn when this bout was done."

"But I thought you didn't like violence, Yugi." Seto smirked at his little cousin, watching as Yugi crossed his arms in annoyance.

"I don't, but father wants me to learn." Yugi looked angry for a second before the emotion was brushed away, leaving the familiar smile on his face.

The brunette rolled his eyes and passed the blade to his cousin without a word, stepping away to the water jar that waited for them. Yugi eagerly gripped the hilt of the sword, staring down the knight in a good imitation of his cousin. The knight laughed before getting into a guard position, looking expectantly at Yugi. The smaller boy hesitated for a moment before lunging forward, tripping and falling on the ground.

Seto jerked forward a step from his place at the water jar, stopping when he heard laughter from the boy on the ground. Yugi stood up, wiping the dirt off his face, while attempting to settle back into his previous position, still laughing. The knight, on his part, had managed to keep from laughing, but there was a smile on his face. "Yugi…"

"I know, I'm dead. But I'll get it this time, Mahad!" Yugi checked his balance by bending his knees before looking back up. "Only turn your back to a corpse."

"Very good, Yugi." Mahad moved forward, Yugi quickly snapping up the wooden blade to meet the slash, tipping his blade so Mahad's would move away from his body. Yugi began to back up slowly, the knight keeping up the slow pattern of thrusts and blocks as the two practiced.

Once he was sure of himself, Yugi started to move faster, that the cue for the knight to speed up himself. They lasted a minute at this speed before Yugi lunged forward, allowing Mahad to duck around Yugi's sword and place his wooden blade at Yugi's neck. "Dead, my prince."

Yugi groaned and wiggled out of the hold to face off with Mahad again.

Seto chuckled at his cousin's enthusiasm, bringing his cup to his lips again to drink. He was glad that Yugi had called him out, he had been getting tired of being beaten by Mahad. But, that was why their mothers had requested that Mahad teach them, he was simply the best in the kingdom.

A yelp pulled his attention from his thoughts to the mock battle in front of him. Seto set down his cup quickly and jogged over to where Yugi sat on the ground, wincing as he stretched out one leg, ignoring the bleeding cut that ran over his calf.

Mahad prudently backed out of the way as Seto dashed up, dropping to the ground beside his cousin and peered down at the wound. Yugi took one look at Seto before rolling his eyes. "It's just a cut, Seto. I'm fine."

Seto swallowed his retort, getting to his feet and helping Yugi up. He watched the smaller boy like a hawk as he tested the leg before turning his attention back to the knight. Yugi gave Mahad a short nod, the signal sending them off again. Seto remained close though, wanting to keep an eye on his cousin.

Seto had acted like a big brother Yugi since he had been born, watching over him as they grew up in the castle together. Even when his own little brother had been born, Seto had still given the young prince the same amount of attention as before. The over protectiveness had only come when Seto's younger brother, Mokuba, had died because of the plague that both Yugi and Seto had survived.

He crossed his arms and watched as Mahad caught Yugi again, the young boy smiling before throwing himself back into another practice bout. Seto shook his head, turning to look down the hill that the ruined fortress was set on. He flinched at the sound of Yugi hitting the ground again, tempted to turn around to see if his cousin was alright, but he was distracted by the sight of a rider galloping up the hill toward them. Seto narrowed his eyes, walking quickly back to the packs that lay discarded by a boulder, reaching for the hilt of his sword as the rider appeared, ducking his head as he rode under the arch. The sounds of practice stopped from behind him as Mahad and Yugi noticed the rider.

He relaxed a fraction as he recognized the rider, the angry expression on his face turning into a sneer as he recognized one of his father's knights. Seto buckled his sword around his waist, glaring at the man pulled his horse to a rough stop. "The king orders you to take your pupils back to the castle." The knight had to keep turning his head to deliver the message as his horse pranced nervously in a circle. "The peasants have rebelled!"

Yugi gasped while Seto and Mahad exchanged solemn looks. There had been no reason for the peasants to revolt before, the current king was a kinder than his father. There had to be a reason behind it, one that the knight would not give up so easily. Seto glared up at the knight, dismissing him with a cold wave of his hand before he walked back to where the three of them had tied their horses.

His cousin followed him, waiting until the knight was gone before speaking quietly. "Why are they doing this? What has father done?"

Seto took one look at Yugi's large purple eyes before sighing, his own eyes softening. "It's probably a misunderstanding. The king will go and sort it all out."

Yugi nodded, taking the reins of his palomino horse and walking it over to a rock so he could scramble up into the saddle. Mahad handed Yugi his pack before receiving the reins to his own steed. Seto waiting until their mentor had mounted before pulling himself up onto his own horse, frowning when it tossed its head nervously. He circled the horse, searching for the thing that had disturbed it before giving a small shrug.

He didn't have time for foolishness now. They had to get Yugi home before the peasants decided to turn their hatred on him. Seto would kill himself before he let anyone lay their hands on his cousin. With an irritated sigh, Seto kicked his horse forward, ducking under the low arch as he galloped after the two other riders.

* * *

A round, blunted head rose from the rocks, blue eyes blinking as she watched the riders retreat. She focused on the brunette rider, giving a soft coo as she clambered over the rocks, settling in a clear space. Her white scales blended into the rocks around her, making the dragon seem like she was part of the landscape. The dragon craned her neck, trying to watch the riders until they were hidden but the hill. The dragon sighed and relaxed her neck, setting it in a gentle arch as she closed her blue eyes in thought.

"That's him?" The blue eyes snapped open immediately at the sound of the voice. She turned her head, hissing at the dragon that strolled out from behind the ruins of the castle. The second dragon shook his head, staring at the riders. "He's a human, Kisara."

"I know that." Kisara snapped the words back at the second dragon, sighing as he looked hurt. She lowered her head to the ground, giving a mournful trill before speaking again. "I'm sorry for snapping at you, Atem. But I feel sorry for him."

Atem snorted, earning another glare from Kisara. "You can't pity ice."

"He's not like that all the time. He's only cold because he lost the two people who cared for him." Atem gave a grumble at the statement, but allowed Kisara to carry on. "He's cold so he doesn't have to feel pain, Atem. And I feel sorry for him because he won't let anyone else in."

"Kisara," Atem shook his head, the sun glinting off his red and black scales, "you're too sympathetic sometimes. It won't work; you're a dragon and he's a human."

"There are the old ways, Atem." Kisara stood up, glaring at the black and red dragon as she walked away.

A growl made her pause, turning back to look at her friend as he argued with himself. The black and red dragon paced among the stones for a minute, wings held slightly away from his body in his agitation. Atem finally paused, turning to look at her. "I'll help you, if I can."

Kisara smiled. "Thank you, Atem."

The black and red dragon nodded, folding his wings back against his body as he walked back toward the ruins of the castle. "I've got to get back or father will worry. The humans have been behaving strangely of late."

"Strangely how?"

"They're killing dragons, Kisara." The blue eyed dragon gasped, quickly pressing herself against the ground, trying to make herself smaller and blend into her surroundings.

"Why are they doing that?" She whispered the words, making Atem have to lean down to hear her. "We have a treaty that we will not break. Why do they hunt us?"

Atem gave an inelegant shrug, his red eyes becoming distant. "I don't know. Just, be careful Kisara."

The white dragon nodded, lifting her head from the ground as she watched Atem walk off, knowing that the news must have frightened him more than he was willing to say. Atem was like that, holding his emotions in and keeping others out by lashing out or becoming cold.

Her thoughts on her friend were brought to an abrupt stop as sounds drifted to her ears. She stood up, turning her blunt head to look in the direction of the noise. It sounded like a battle, a human battle. And her human would have to skirt around the edge of the battle. He wouldn't be safe.

She opened her wings, pushing off the ground with a grunt of effort as she beat the appendages to gain height. Kisara turned effortlessly in the air, craning her neck to search for the riders before beginning to follow at a discrete distance. They might not ever need her help, but she wanted to be there in case her human got into trouble.

* * *

Gozaburo watched as his brother rode toward the group of peasants who were brandishing farm weapons, keeping his own horse back. The king smiled at the peasants, the expression wavering as he saw that they remained angry. Gozaburo snorted and pulled his horse even further back. He didn't want to get involved in these matters, peasants were no concern of his. As long as they worked hard and did not pass the plague on to their superiors, he was content to let them be. Besides, the peasants were the happiest when they were complaining; nothing would make them happy. But his brother apparently thought he could.

He returned his gaze to his brother, watching as the king dismounted to talk to the peasants on their level. Gozaburo smiled as he watched a blonde man tighten his hands around the scythe he held, glaring at the king. It wouldn't be long now.

He especially didn't want to get involved in this matter because he was the one who had started it, sending his loyal knights out to fabricate rumors about the royal family and the future. He hadn't been specific, just enough to cause unrest among the lower class. Anything to get them riled up, because then the king would go down to settle them, and there was a good chance that he would be attacked.

Gozaburo jumped as the first scream erupted, his horse rearing as it tried to run from the sudden noise. He pulled the animal back down, turning his head to see the king fall under the blade of the scythe. He narrowed his eyes, jerking his mount around and pointing to the group of peasants. "They have struck down the king!"

The blonde man looked up in surprise, glaring at the knights on their horses before letting out a feral yell and charging forward. Gozaburo stared at the man before urging his horse away, not having an expected an attack on himself.

The horse neighed in fear as more peasants surrounded him, Gozaburo yanking the horse around in a tight circle as he realized that they were outnumbered. He shouted for the soldiers, urging them to cut the peasants down. They complied, angered by the callous slaughter of their beloved ruler. Gozaburo smirked and aimed his horse for an opening in the circle of peasants, wanting to escape with his life.

He caught sight of a young red headed girl right before she darted out in front of his horse, a young blonde man following her out, holding a sharpened stick in his hand. Gozaburo tried to turn his horse at the last second, tumbling out of the saddle as his horse bolted to the side. He screamed as he fell, the sound cut off as he hit the ground.

Before he could get up, the young blonde tripped over him, calling out for his sister as he fell, the stake tumbling from his grasp, his body falling on the blunted end. "Serenity!"

Gozaburo gasped as the stake plunged into his chest, piercing through skin and muscle before stabbing into his heart. The man screamed, clawing at the air before going limp. Through blurring vision, he saw the young blonde gulp and scramble to his feet, running before the knights could rush over. Gozaburo turned his head to watch the blonde go, too weak to do anything.

"My lord!" He rolled his head back as one of the knights rode up, leaping from the saddle to lift him from the ground. Gozaburo let out a gurgle, the closest he could get to a word before he was gently lifted into the saddle. The knight sprang up into the saddle, steadying Gozaburo with one hand as he wheeled his steed around. "Finish with these peasants!"

Gozaburo tried to scream as the motion of the galloping horse aggravated his injury, instead falling into a stupor as the pain became too much. He could only feel the movement of the horse's shoulders under him, the hand the knight had on his chest and the encouragement that the knight spoke as he urged his steed away from the slaughter. "Hold on, my lord."

He forced his eyes to remain open, wanting to stay awake and aware; instinct telling him that to slip into unconsciousness would mean succumbing to death. He wanted to live to exact his revenge on the two that had put him in this position, fixing the face of the red haired girl in his mind before the images began to slip away.

* * *

Seto snorted in distaste at the sounds of battle close by, urging his horse to run closer to Yugi's, wanting to keep his cousin from seeing the horrors of battle. For all of his bravery, Yugi was still a bit naïve when it came to the workings of the world, and Seto didn't want to be the one responsible for shattering the way Yugi looked at the world.

From his place beside his cousin, Seto could see Mahad wincing at the sound, shooting angry looks in the direction of the battle. They would get a lecture later, one that Mahad was very fond of. The knight still clung to the old code of stories, which was useful up to a point. Seto could see the merit in the code, but wondered what the use was if no one else in the world acknowledged its existence.

His musings were cut off by a loud shout. Seto turned his head around, eyes widening as he saw a young man with black hair and a red headband around his forehead pointing at him, a rusting sword in his other hand. "There's the future tyrant!"

Peasants burst out of the undergrowth around them, some running across the open field that boarded the other side of their path. Seto pulled his horse into a more defensive position beside Yugi, seeing that Mahad was doing the same thing on the other side of the prince. They would defend Yugi until their last breaths, anything to keep their prince safe.

The peasants raced after the horses, losing ground to the fleeter animals. Seto looked behind him, sighing in relief when the chase was abandoned, leaving them room to breathe. He turned back to front, slumping. His posture stiffened again when he felt a hand land on his calf, tugging him from the saddle.

He hit the ground with a cry of pain, his right arm breaking as it came in contact with the ground. Seto scrambled to his feet, left arm going to support its useless partner. He faced off against the peasant, gritting his teeth against the pain. He couldn't draw his sword without letting go of his arm, and he was nearly hopeless with his left hand. His best chance at survival, no matter how much it annoyed him, was to run.

Seto glanced once at the peasant, scowling at the young man whose brown hair was styled to a point on the front of his head before turning to run. He ducked his head as the man laughed, shouting to the other peasants who had joined in the chase again once they had seen that one of their prey had been unhorsed. "Look at the coward!"

He was almost tempted to turn around and face them despite the odds, but he looked up. Yugi was staring back at him in worry, one hand clutching the pommel of his saddle as he stared at his cousin. Seto gave a rough shake of his head. No, he couldn't let Yugi down.

A hand caught his shoulder, spinning him around and throwing him to the ground. Seto grunted as he hit the ground, cradling his broken arm close to his chest. The peasants loomed over him, Seto recognizing the black haired man and the brunette from before. The group leered at him, all reaching for their weapons as they prepared to kill the young noble.

A roar from the sky interrupted their motions. As one, the peasants looked up, cringing away from the shadow that swooped overhead once before landing on the ground behind Seto. The young noble tried to tip his head back to see what had arrived, stopping when one white clawed leg landed close to his head. Seto looked up, mouth dropping open as he stared at the dragon.

White scales covered its body, the ones closer to the top of the dragon possessing a blue sheen to them. A long neck was extended low over him protectively, the oval shaped head of the dragon stopping just in front of the peasants. The dragon gave a low growl, the sound startling the peasants into flight, most of them dropping their makeshift weapons in fear.

The dragon seemed to nod to itself before it retreated, the foreleg moving away from Seto. The brunette got to his feet, swaying slightly as a bolt of pain ran through his arm. He shook his head to clear it, looking up at his rescuer in awe.

Intelligent blue eyes blinked back at him, the eyes situated just before the series of three long, rounded scales that extended like shield over the first part of the neck. From the shoulder extended powerful wings, the membranes between their supports almost transparent in the sunlight. The back of the dragon was bare of spikes, a smooth curve down to the long tail, which was twitching back and forth in agitation.

The dragon rocked most of its weight back onto its hind legs, the motion bringing Seto's attention back to the dragon's head. He lingered a moment on the eyes again before he looked at the spike that sat at the edge of the dragon's mouth, three more spikes pointing to the neck of the dragon.

Not really thinking about what he was doing, Seto reached up to pet the dragon, pressing his palm against its muzzle. He jumped when the dragon seemed to lean into the caress, breathing out softly at the contact. Seto's eyes widened as his fingers began to stroke the dragon's muzzle. He was surprised that the dragon was warm, instead of cool. He realized that he was staring into one of the blue eyes and dropped his hand abruptly.

He sidled around the dragon, jogging over to where Mahad and Yugi had stopped their horses, stopping to look awkwardly at the dragon. He swallowed before shakily saying, "Thank you" before rushing back to his horse.

Seto paused with his good hand on the stirrup, looking back as the dragon turned its head to stare back at him before slowly flapping its wings and rising to the sky. Seto looked away as the dragon wheeled away, staring at his fingers, flexing them slightly as he remembered the warmth of the dragon. It was only when Mahad cleared his throat that he swung himself back up onto his horse, gasping when the motion jarred his arm.

He settled into the saddle, looking over at Mahad who was giving him a worried look. The knight leaned over in his saddle to examine the broken arm. "We should get you back as fast as possible."

Seto nodded, cradling his broken arm again and pulling on his normal mask. It wouldn't do to have Yugi see him in pain. He wouldn't want his cousin to worry. He offered a crooked smile to the tri-color haired teen before urging his horse on his legs, hoping that the castle wasn't too far from where they were now.

He was about to speak to Mahad about this when a knight galloped past, Seto recognizing the man that was slung over the front of the saddle. Before he could point it out, Mahad was spurring his horse into a gallop, Yugi following. Seto winced to himself before sending his horse forward, knowing that he would be in pain the whole journey back to the castle.

* * *

Aislinn looked up from her folded hands, standing up and rearranging her skirts as the sounds of men yelling echoed down the hall. She daintily leaned over and blew out the single candle that flickered in front of the golden cross, her eyes going to the carved dragons to either side of the cross. She turned slowly to face the door to her quarters, the eyes of all her carved dragons fixed on the woman.

Once she had been a proud woman; slim, tall and fearless. The years had worn away at her, although she still retained her good looks; waist length red hair and a slim body. But the years showed in her eyes, the purple eyes that had once sparkled with joy were now dim with the wear of life. She had lived through the death of her clan, watching as her future father-in-law slaughtered her family and then carried her off to be the bride for his son. But she had learned to love the king of this foreign land, falling in love with the compassionate man who had taken over the throne from his ruthless father. As she still loved him as passionately, just as she loved her only son.

It was worry for him that had aged her quickly, the baby boy born early and so small that many had feared that he would not live. And many still worried that he would not survive long into the first years of his reign. Aislinn, however, managed to push those worries far into the back of her mind, just worrying that her only child was happy. Because he would be her only child. She was beyond the years of child bearing and had lost all the others that she had attempted to bring into this world. So Yugi had been brought up with his older cousin for company and briefly with his younger cousin, while the boy had lived.

Aislinn sighed and looked at the dragons that she had commissioned on the event of the death of Mokuba and his mother, smiling briefly at the image of a larger dragon nuzzling a chick crawling out of an egg. Then the pressures of helping to raise another boy had entered her life, and she worried about Seto like he was her son; but only when his father wasn't around.

For, as much as she loved her husband, she could not stand his brother.

Her hands clenched into fists at the thought of Gozaburo, hating the man because he was so much like the previous king who had slaughtered her village. Because he would not be the kind of king the kingdom needed. And, most importantly, because he thought her Yugi was too weak to rule.

Aislinn calmed herself as Lector walked into her room, standing for a long while looking her in the eye before bowing, Aislinn bristling at the subtle slight to her status. She smoothed her face over as Lector stood up from his bow, small black eyes tracing over her figure in a way that made her want to shiver. Aislinn calmed herself before taking a step back. "My lord?"

The knight came out of his daze looking back to the door before motioning for whoever was waiting behind it. He looked back at Aislinn with a slow smile. "The peasants rebelled against us. The king and his brother went to stop it."

Aislinn had noticed that none of Gozaburo's five favorite knights had gone to support their king and their master. Her morose thoughts were stopped as her son came rushing into the room, looking worriedly over his shoulder as Mahad walked in. Aislinn sighed at the sight of Mahad, the knight a good friend of her and her husband. Her joy was short lived as she saw that the knight supported Seto, the young man's right arm dangling useless by his side.

Aislinn moved to her nephew's side, guiding him over to the small cot in the room and kneeling to look at the injury. She quickly set the bone back in its proper place, hesitating in her wrapping of the injury as Lector scoffed openly. Aislinn steadied herself before going on with her duty. She had to remember that most of the people in this kingdom were backwards, relying on witchcraft to explain what they could not instead of using logic.

She tied off the bandage and patted Seto's good shoulder, sighing when he shifted away from the contact. It was a balm to her heart that Seto wasn't as closed with Yugi or herself, afraid that the boy would lose himself to the emotions that he worked so hard to suppress, a quality that she blamed Gozaburo for. "It will hurt for a while, and don't attempt to do anything strenuous."

Seto gave a sharp nod before getting off the cot and walking over to stand by Yugi. The smaller of the two looked up at his cousin with concern before beginning to walk over to his mother. He was interrupted as a knight burst into the room, struggling with Gozaburo. The knight gave a quick bow to Aislinn before hauling the noble over to the cot, flinging him onto the hard surface with a grunt. The king's brother groaned. The knight who had brought Gozaburo in bowed to his queen again, speaking in a soft voice.

"I'm sorry, my queen, but your husband is dead; slain by the very peasants he was trying to help." Aislinn stiffened, holding herself together when she would have burst into tears. She walked over to Gozaburo, looking at the wound in his chest before shaking her head.

"The wound is deep." She looked back at Lector, hoping that the man got her point. The knight merely shook his head and walked over, grabbing her shoulder and putting pressure on the joint. Aislinn bit her lip. She would not show any signs of weakness; she wouldn't give him the pleasure.

"You will heal him, or your precious son will go onto the throne. How long do you think he will survive, especially with these peasants? A year? Three?"

Aislinn caved at that, looking at Yugi. She wanted him to grow up a little more. He was only seventeen, and he looked so frail. The queen drew herself up to her full height, moving around her small sanctuary. "Lector, call for a pallet and men willing to carry it; quickly if you want your master to live. Mahad, please escort the boys to their rooms, Seto will need all the rest he can get, and then accompany me."

The two knights bowed, Lector leaving the room first. Mahad and Seto left right after, leaving Yugi to hesitate before running over to his mother and pulling her into a fierce hug. "Can father really be dead?"

Aislinn stroked her son's hair, looking over at Gozaburo. She nodded, returning her gaze to her son. Yugi accepted this in his normal quiet way, although tears began to form in his large eyes. "Does everyone really think that I am that weak? That I'll die that quickly if I take the throne?"

The questions didn't need to be answered, because Yugi already knew the answers. The ideas were spoken widely around the castle and no one thought to look in the shadows or crevices where Yugi hid. The teen sighed, still hugging his mother tightly. "I miss him."

Aislinn nodded, tears coming to her eyes. Suddenly, she wanted to be alone. "Go off to bed Yugi, try to get some reading done."

"Yes, mother." Yugi stood on his tip toes to give his mother a kiss on the cheek before scurrying off down the hall. Aislinn moved to kneel in front of her cross again, tears streaming down her face as she arranged her skirts. She looked up, staring at the jeweled eyes off the carved dragons and silently cried for the husband she had loved, the country she had grown attached to and her son.

* * *

Mahad rode next to the queen, envying her calm. The whole kingdom was about to fall apart and Aislinn was looking up at the cloudy sky. He shook his head, glancing down at the pallet that was being brought along, the reason for their slow pace. Gozaburo's five pet knights surrounded the structure, sticking close to their master as Aislinn led them further up into the hills.

The queen was right to bring a knight that she could trust, especially with the king gone and Yugi's health a doubtful thing. Gozaburo would push for his right to the crown. As long as Yugi stayed safe, then the kingdom would have a chance. And with the favor that she was securing now, Yugi would remain safe for a long while, maybe even long enough to take his place on the throne. Mahad knew that Yugi was stronger than most people thought.

His thoughts were interrupted as one of the knights stumbled, angrily glaring up at Mahad and the queen. "Where is that crazy witch taking us?"

Mahad tightened his hold on the reins, the only thing he could do to prevent himself from turning around and hitting the knight for disrespecting their queen. He glanced over at Aislinn, only noticing that she merely straightened her posture. He turned his head to hide his smile, Aislinn would be alright; she was strong enough to stand on her own. But, as her friend, he would stand by her.

A sorrowful trill reached their ears, some of the horses screaming in fear as they picked up the scent of something. Mahad quickly looked over his shoulder, seeing the bearers of the pallet shiver. He turned back to face front, gasping as a black shadow flew over them, disappearing among the crags that Aislinn was leading to them to. Mahad saw the creature land, a crimson eye visible for a moment before the creature disappeared.

The knight took a tighter hold of his horse's reins, looking over at his queen. To his surprise, Aislinn was looking after the creature with a look of longing. Mahad was reminded of how much he still did not know about the queen's origins. All he knew was that she had been brought from one of the conquered clans to the south; the people that they knew nothing about. Aislinn did not often talk about her former home, probably still holding a grudge against her father-in-law for destroying her home.

Aislinn turned her horse abruptly, urging the placid mare up a sharp slope. Mahad rushed after her, loathe to lose the queen in this stark place. He was about to shout for her to wait for the others when he saw the queen pull her mare up in front of the entrance to a cave. Mahad stopped his steed as well, staring at the great rent in the earth with a dazed expression.

The cavern yawned open like a maw, threatening to swallow them whole if they attempted to enter. What light was allowed through the clouds and the few torches that they carried with them, didn't penetrate the darkness far, a faint sputter of light against the pitch black as the rest of the cavern. Mahad found his hand straying to the hilt of his sword as the trill echoed from the depths of the cave, the echoes caused by the rocks creating an eerie effect.

His contemplation was disturbed when Aislinn dismounted from her horse, motioning for the knights to move up. Mahad followed her lead, noticing that Lector did the same while the four other knights remained mounted. Aislinn passed one of them the reins to her mare without a word, motioning for Mahad to follow her. "The pallet bearers will follow us in, and Lector, if you wish. The rest of you remain outside."

Mahad followed the queen into the mouth of the cave, partially drawing his sword as the torches failed to illuminate very far into the darkness. He jumped at the sound of something moving over the rocks, the sound mingling with the ever present dripping of water from the ceiling. The knight glanced back at the pallet that was following them into the cave, noticing that the bearers were looking increasingly nervous. The knight shook his head and walked quickly to keep up with his queen.

The darkness pressed in all around them, making the journey seem to last forever. Mahad had lost count of the minutes that they had spent walking, the passage of time sucked off into the shadows that surrounded them. The knight did breathe a little easier when they were led into a large cavern, the path they were on constricting as two subterranean lakes rested calmly on either side of the group. As they entered the large cavern, the trilling abruptly came to a stop.

Mahad got a glimpse of something moving in the shadows, the large shape moving with more grace than it should have. His hand tightened on his sword as he watched the thing move, getting a whiff of spices as the creature moved from the deeper shadows, the darkness of the cave still obscuring it from their sight.

"Your song is sad, my lord." Mahad jumped as Aislinn spoke, her voice filled with more life than he had heard for years. The creature turned its head to look at her, soft brown eyes starting out of the shadows.

"There are no stars tonight; the clouds hide the bright ones from our sight." The creature looked up at the roof of his cavern, like he was trying to see through the stone in the vain hope that he could make the clouds move away from the sky. It pulled itself together to look back down at the queen. "Aislinn, queen and last of her people."

The queen nodded at the recognition, stepping forward despite the small sound of protest that Mahad made. "Whose people loved your kind and called them friend above all others."

The creature nodded, the motion abruptly turning into a shake as it snarled. "The moon weeps red tears for the ones that have been slaughtered."

"Not by my hand, or my husbands, or anyone with true loyalty to us." Aislinn was standing right in front of the shadow now, one hand held out in supplication. The creature shifted to look down at her from its ledge. Aislinn took this as a good sign because she knelt down on the ground, earning a gasp from the knights. Why would a queen lower herself in front of a beast? "We seek to keep your friendship not to destroy your kind."

The creature paused before it ducked its head, a long sigh echoing around the cavern. "Why have you come?"

"The king's brother is injured." Aislinn turned to gesture at the pallet, the creature following her gesture. Mahad noticed that she did not mention that her husband was dead. The creature snorted in disdain.

"The injury is deep and you have no love for this man. Why do you ask this of me?"

"For my son." Mahad heard the whisper only because he was the closest to the queen. He stared in amazement as the creature gave a startled rumble, turning to look back at something else in the shadows before turning back. Aislinn lowered her eyes to the ground, staring at her hands. "Please, they have killed my husband…and he is the only thing that I have left."

"I understand. Bring this man forward."

Aislinn motioned for the pallet bearers to come forward, stepping daintily out of the way. Mahad looked up at another deep rumble, staring into the deepness in the vain hope that he could see something else. His attempts were thwarted, but he saw movement in the shadows as the creature turned to growl at whatever was in the darkness.

"Hurry up, creature, before this man dies!" Mahad cringed at Lector's impatient tone, the brown eyes of the creature moving back to the group of humans. The knight thought he saw fangs as the creature moved forward with a snarl.

"Patience, knight!" The creature bellowed out the words, sitting back on it haunches. Mahad drew his sword at the action, staring up at the creature in awe. It towered above all of them, the light from the torches now touching the creature's stomach, showing thick black scales. Mahad shifted to the side as the creature spread its wings for balance, the black appendages flapping a moment before becoming still. "Witness the wonders of an ancient glory."

The creature roared in pain, sudden red light flaring from the creature itself. Mahad raised the arm that was not holding his sword up to shield his eyes, watching in morbid fascination as the creature plunged its claws into its chest, removing a beating chunk of light that it lowered toward the injured noble. Mahad took a step back, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.

The light disappeared into Gozaburo's chest before a small stream of flame appeared out of the darkness, cauterizing the wound. The king's brother let out a groan, one hand moving weakly as the fire stopped. The creature nodded to itself, muttering as the bearers moved back to remove the injured man from the cave. "Half my heart to make you whole. My strength to purify your weakness."

Lector rushed out after his lord, leaving Aislinn and Mahad in the cavern. The queen gave a bow to the creature before following meekly after the knight. Mahad looked after them, hesitating before going to kneel before the ledge. The creature paused, looking down at him as Mahad placed the point of his blade into the rock and knelt. "I thank you, noble creature."

"Noble?" The creature chuckled over the word before leaning over to look at the knight. "What has brought this on, human?"

"You have just saved the prince, and for that I am grateful. He will rule as his father did instead of becoming a tyrant as his grandfather. Your actions have just brought about peace."

The creature gave a worried rumble, Mahad looking up as the creature placed a hand over the wound in its chest. "That I am not sure of knight. But it was too important to leave this to chance."

Mahad stood up. "I promise that to be at your service, if you too wish to protect our future prince. And I swear, so long as no harm comes to him, I will never injure one of your kind."

"I will hold you to that, knight." Mahad bowed to the creature and rushed after the queen, not wanting to stumble his way out of the cave in the dark.

* * *

Akhnamkanon stepped down from the ledge as the knight disappeared up the passageway to the surface, wincing as the move stretched the wound in his chest. The black scaled dragon looked back down at the self imposed injury before gently flattening a scale over it, leaving the wound to heal. He looked back as his son moved from the shadows, the smaller dragon moving to his father to look at the scale that covered the wound before settling on the ground. Brown and crimson eyes turned back to the shadows as another black dragon moved from the ledge, snarling.

"You had no right to do that. What makes you think they will keep their promise?"

"I had every right because it was mine to give!" Akhnamkanon turned on his brother with a hiss, watching the dragon back down. "It is better to take a chance than to hide and let ourselves be killed off one by one. I would not wish that fate on any dragon."

Aknadin backed down, but gave his brother an annoyed hiss, nearly falling over as the younger red and black dragon. The younger dragon sprung from his place on the floor, pinning his uncle against the rough rock. He growled, mouth held slightly open above Aknadin's neck. "You have no right to argue, uncle. This is for the good of our kind."

Aknadin scoffed, trying to reach up and claw at his nephew's belly, stopping when he realized that he could not move. "I thought you would be able to see through the flaw in this scheme, Atem Morningstar."

The younger dragon growled at the hated title, pushing his uncle further into the rock. Aknadin coughed at the motion, his hind legs scrambling at the scales of the dragon above him while he tried to snap at Atem's neck. When he realized that he was stuck, Aknadin slumped back, glaring up at the younger dragon. "Humans have ceased to care about dragons. They think of us as unintelligent creatures only fit to slaughter. The time for peaceful coexistence is past. We have no business dealing with humans any longer."

"It is not your choice." Both dragons looked up at Akhnamkanon, Atem stepping away from his uncle at the look his father gave him. The black scaled dragon drew himself up to his full height, easily towering over Atem and Aknadin. "It is mine. Perhaps you will have your say when I am gone, but for now my word is law."

Akhnamkanon gracefully pulled himself back into the shadows of the ledge, Aknadin following after his brother with a hiss at Atem. The black and red dragon stood his ground, waiting until his father and uncle had disappeared into the depths of the cave before walking up the passage and pulling himself out into the cool night air.

He made an awkward hop to a rock, balancing easily on his perch as he looked over the valley between the two hills, easily spying the white rocks of the old fortress. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the human structure before he turned his attention to the little group that was winding their way down the hill again. Atem shifted, black wings opening slightly for balance as he leaned over, nearly falling as another dragon flew overhead.

Atem resettled himself, looking up to glare at the dragon as she circled in to land, her white scales making her easily spotted in the night. Atem slid from his perch as Kisara landed on the ground, tipping his head to one side in confusion as his friend hissed at him. "Kisara?"

"They hurt him. Those idiots hurt him and they were going to kill him! Can't they see that he's on their side? He's not like his father!" Atem stepped to the side to allow the white dragon to pass, sighing as she did so. More about the human she had become obsessed with. He stretched himself out on the ground, wincing at the first contact of his warm scales against the cool earth. Atem ducked his head as Kisara continued her pacing, carelessly stepping over him. "If I hadn't been there they might have-"

"Kisara." She turned back around to look at him, the anger in her blue eyes fading as she stared at her friend. Atem watched the white dragon slump before settling down on the ground as well, letting Atem drape a wing across her back in comfort, a low croon rumbling from him to soothe the frazzled nerves of the white dragon.

After a long while, Kisara finally looked up at her friend, the resolve in her blue eyes cutting off the croon that Atem was making. The black and red dragon sat up a little straighter, about to question her on the emotion when Kisara spoke first. "I think I love him, Atem."

"What? Kis-"

"Atem." The calm way she said his name stopped any protests. He found himself staring at her with his mouth partially open and his eyes wide. Kisara moved away from his wing, letting the limb drop to the ground. Atem swallowed and pulled his wing back to his side, looking at his friend questionably. Kisara looked away for a minute before looking back at him. "I'm afraid."

"Kisara." He was stopped when she turned her head toward him, scooting even further away. Atem resettled himself, pressing himself flat against the ground. The act of making himself smaller seemed to help the white dragon. Kisara gave him a thankful look before tipping her head back to look at the sky.

"I do, Atem. I spend the hours that I'm not hunting watching him, even when he's in the castle. I don't know why I'm drawn to him, I just am." Her claws drummed on the ground as she lowered her head, sure signs that she was done thinking over something important. "It would kill me if he died, Atem."

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to be like him, a human."

Atem froze at her words, his eyes widening as he finally comprehended her words. She wanted to become human. The words kept running around in his mind, not giving him a break as he stared at his friend. Kisara had gone back to staring at the stars, her eyes glazed over in thought. Atem looked back down at the ground, surprised to see that his claws had dug into the earth. He carefully extracted them, staring at them.

Kisara had never been happier than when she had been watching that human. And, while Atem could never figure out why she enjoyed it or what she got out of it, but he had accepted it as a part of her character. And, while it had annoyed him at first, he had gotten used to it. It was Kisara, the one of the few that had seen him as himself first instead of his title, whatever it truly meant.

Atem tapped a claw on the ground for a moment before he looked back up. "What do you want me to do?"

He was not ready for the joyful look that passed over her face. Kisara stood up, reaching out to brush her wing over his neck. "You really mean it?"

"Yes." Atem knew he was getting himself into deep trouble, probably more than he could comprehend, but he didn't care. This was Kisara.

The white dragon looked over the landscape, her blue eyes distant. "When I change, I'm going to need someone to protect me until we find him. And once I change," she shuddered, a hint of blue running along her scales with the motion, "I might not ever be able to come back."

"Kisara…"

She laughed, the soft noise drifting into the night. "I'm not strong like you, Atem. I'm just me. But I'm strong enough to protect my human and that's alright."

The black and red dragon nodded, lowering his head to rest on his forelegs. Kisara stared at him for a moment more before getting up. The two remained in silence for a long while, the quiet broken as Kisara spoke again. "Don't stay out too long, you could get cold."

Atem nodded vaguely, already lost in his thoughts as Kisara walked away. He looked up briefly as she flew overhead, heading for the place she called home, probably for the last time. His eyes focused back on the ground in front of him, not really seeing the rocky soil.

He had known Kisara since they were chicks, the white dragon the one of the few friends he was able to make before he was rushed into the whole affair of his title, which his father refused to tell him about. The blue eyed dragon had been weak as a chick, something that still bothered her today. Kisara refused to believe that she had grown.

Atem shook his head, eyes falling shut as sleep claimed him, forgetting about where he was. He refolded his wings, shifting until he found and comfortable spot on the cold ground.

* * *

Gozaburo slowly came awake, aware of a slight pain in his chest. He raised his head from the rocking pallet that he was being carried on, scowling when he saw that the queen and Mahad were riding ahead. He let his head fall back, disgusted that he had been put in Aislinn's debt. He remembered his wound well enough, it should have been fatal. The fact that he was still alive meant that the witch had done something to it.

He was started out of his thoughts as Lector walked up beside him, leading his horse and giving a short bow. "It is good to see you awake, my lord."

"What did you promise her?" The words came out as a low growl, the anger behind them startling Lector.

The knight looked away. "We promised that no harm would come to her brat since the king was dead."

Gozaburo almost sat up at the tidbit of information that he had forgotten. Of course, the king was dead, slain by the very peasants that he cared so much for. Gozaburo leaned back with a smile, his change in mood encouraging Lector to lean over him. "What now, my lord?"

"Now we strike against the queen and kill the only heir." Gozaburo found his eye caught by the ruins of the white castle on the hill. He stared at the ruins, suddenly feeling slighted by all that his older brother had managed to accomplish. "And we will rebuild that castle."

Lector glanced over his shoulder at the ruin. "But that will take many men!"

"Use the peasants who rebelled against us. It is only right for the crime they committed." Gozaburo smiled to himself as Lector nodded quickly. "We will rebuild that castle to be greater than that of my father's and my reign will be the one remembered, not the one of my weakling brother."

"We will start as soon as you are well, my lord."

"No. We will start tomorrow."


	2. Plans and Promises

 

**Chapter Two: End of a Line**

****  
_The kingdom was torn asunder at the end of the day;  
Two frantic lovers and a king far away._  


The sun had barely risen in the sky as the two dragons soared over the land. Atem looked down at the ground speeding by beneath them, already missing the thermals that would appear later in the day. It would be easier to fly then, just floating from thermal to thermal instead of flapping the entire time. He glanced up at where Kisara flew in front of him, breaking suddenly when she went into a dive. He followed after her, circling as the white dragon settled herself on the ground.

Atem landed gracefully, turning his head to look at his friend as she closed her eyes. At his worried trill, Kisara opened one eye and smiled at him. "Don't worry, Atem. Everything will be alright."

She was suddenly surrounded by blazing white light, Atem stumbling back as he swept a wing in front of him to block the light from his eyes; even then the light leaked through. He whimpered, ducking his head and gritting his teeth. He wanted to tell her to stop, to stay as a dragon so he wouldn't be alone, stuck in a world where he was greeted with a title that no one knew the meaning to. But he held his tongue, because it would make Kisara happy.

Anything to make Kisara happy.

He moved the wing away from his face at the soft sigh. Atem blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to clear the spots from them as he took a step forward, lowering his head to look at the human female that lay crumpled on the ground. Fearfully, he nudged her back, pulling away as Kisara moaned. Atem dropped to the ground, curling around Kisara's naked form and opening a wing so she was shielded from the early morning chill. After carefully looking for any danger to them, Atem ducked his head under his wing, surprised when cheerful blue eyes blinked back up at him. A pale hand reached up to pet his muzzle, the motion earning a giggle from the human.

"Hello, Atem."

"Are you alright?"

The human female laughed again, hugging his nose. Atem went still in confusion, not used to these signs of affection. His crimson eyes widened as Kisara planted a kiss on the end of his nose before pulling back and sitting cross-legged on the ground. "I've never been better. Now," she stood up and brushed herself off, tucking her white hair behind her ears, "we need to get me to a village and probably some clothes."

Atem folded his wing back, allowing Kisara to move from the shelter he had made. The woman walked away for a few steps, Atem gloomily watching her go from his place on the ground. Kisara turned around, glaring at him as he stared mournfully after her. "What if he doesn't love you, Kisara? What then? You said yourself that you might not be able to change back?"

"Atem." She motioned for him to move forward, the black and red dragon standing up and shuffling over, dropping his head to look at her. She reached up to place a hand on his muzzle. "Then I will figure something else out. This decision feels right, so stop worrying."

Atem turned his eyes away, earning a sigh from the woman and a light pat on his muzzle. Kisara removed her hand from him and began to walk away again, wrapping her arms around herself as she shivered. Atem lingered behind for a moment more before giving a long sigh and trailing after her. He was aware he was dragging his feet, trying to keep to a very slow pace on purpose and that it wasn't a dignified course of action for one of his status, whatever it was.

"Come on, Atem. He will be riding through the villages in a little while. I don't want to miss him!"

"Of course not." Atem made sure to mumble the words, wincing when Kisara shot him an angry glare, the expression not because she had heard what he had said, but probably because she guessed. He gave her an apologetic look before picking up his pace, relaxing when his friend rested a hand on his shoulder.

* * *

"Shouldn't you be in bed, my lord?" Gozaburo looked up at the words, glaring at Crump as the squat knight made his way down into the great hall. Gozaburo set down his cup, leaning over the table to stare at his knight. Crump walked up to the table, looking around the deserted hall. "You should be recovering from that injury.

"I will be fine." Gozaburo waved off the concern, folding is hands to stare at the knight. "There is too much to do before I can waste my time lying about. I assume that my nephew will be taking the throne."

Crump nodded slowly, Gozaburo turning his attention back to the table. "Then we will have to do something to change that." He stood up, ignoring the smothered protest that the man made. "There is much to do today. Gather the knights; we are going to look over my people."

The knight gave a quick bow and strolled out of the room. Gozaburo lifted his cup, wincing as the move stretched the scar on his chest. He rubbed the area with a wince, feeling his heart throb in pain. He couldn't quite remember what happened after his injury, just pain and the memory of a blonde young man and a red headed girl. What happened between then and now was not important, at this moment at least. Gozaburo put his cup back on the table before walking out of the castle and heading for the stables. Their days in this castle were numbered if he had anything to say about it.

Mentally he reminded himself to take care of the queen when he returned from his other tasks.

* * *

Yugi sat in his room, staring out the one window with his chin propped up on his knees. The finger of one hand traced patterns in the trousers that he wore, his eyes distant as he looked over the kingdom that was his. Had been his since his father's death yesterday evening. He whimpered at the thought, ducking his head so his forehead resting against his knees. Tears ran from his eyes, his teeth gritted so no sound would come out.

He had to be strong, for his mother and for the kingdom. He would prove to them he was not weak, that he was able to take care of himself. That he could live despite the stress that would be placed on him. He couldn't be seen crying, it would upset his mother. And he could tell that she was already upset over the death of his father and the threats that Gozaburo's knights had made.

Although he looked complete naïve, Yugi was anything but. His small size, while annoying, came in handy for sneaking around the castle. And he had heard things; the truth about what people thought about him and his mother. They called his mother a witch, a cold hearted woman from the south. They were all afraid that she would curse them if they stepped out of line.

He, apparently, was no better. He was the son of a beloved king and a witch. The people didn't believe that their king could have ever loved his queen, putting it down to enchantment. And Yugi, with his large eyes and pale skin, was very abnormal. Abnormal enough to cause worry among the people. What if he could command the strange magic his mother could? What if he drove them all to ruin?

Yugi sat up suddenly at the sound of his door opening, hastily wiping the tears from his eyes. He put on a false smile as he watched Seto enter the room, noting the worry on his cousin's face. Seto would be able to see through the mask he put on, but his cousin would never call him on it. His cousin looked away, letting Yugi finish drying his face and move from the window. "Mahad asked if you felt like riding out today."

Yugi glanced at the sling that Seto had on his right arm, feeling sorry for his cousin. Seto would always join them for their morning rides, but he couldn't now. The brunette followed his gaze, scowling at the brown cloth that was supporting his broken arm. He shifted, moving the arm from Yugi's line of sight. "I'm going no matter what the queen says. You need protection after that peasant uprising yesterday."

"You really think that they would try and kill me?" For all he had heard, he thought that the people were too afraid to move against him. He didn't like that they feared him, but he was willing to accept it over the populace trying to kill him.

Seto rolled his eyes and walked out of the room, waiting for Yugi to finish pulling on his boots before following him down the cramped passages of the castle. "I don't know, but yesterday was very strange. I don't want to take any unnecessary risks."

Yugi quietly followed his cousin out to the stables, smiling as he looked over the horses. A high whinny drew him to his own horse's stall, reaching up to stroke the soft muzzle before letting himself into the stall, a bridle in hand. The palomino dropped its head to allow the small teen to put the bridle on, the saddle already waiting on the horse's back.

Yugi let his horse out into the yard, waving at Mahad. The knight nodded back at the teen, already seated on his own horse. "Good morning, my king."

Yugi blushed at the title, not sure how he felt about it. To him, the title belonged to his father, he was just the prince. He had never aspired to be anything more. He lowered his eyes and swung up onto his horse. He shifted into a comfortable position as Seto walked his horse out, a scowl on his face. His own problems forgotten, Yugi questioned his cousin as soon as the brunette was mounted. "Seto?"

"My father's horse is missing, as well as most of his knights'." Yugi shifted uneasily, quickly soothing the horse when it picked up on his nervousness. He remembered what his uncle had looked like when he had been dragged in and expected himto be dead by morning, well used to the failures of his world. After all, they had not been able to save Mokuba, his aunt and all the other children that his mother had tried to have. But this confused him because Yugi knew what death looked like. It meant that his mother had interfered in some way.

He shook his worries off. He didn't want to think about that, he wanted to forget everything for a little while, just be Yugi before he was forced to be the king. He urged his horse forward, Mahad right beside him as they trotted toward the gate. Yugi really wanted to gallop, but forced himself to stay at a pace that Seto could stand. As much as he wanted to get away, he couldn't leave Seto behind because the brunette needed him; no matter how much he acted like it was otherwise. Yugi sighed and directed his mount towards the village.

He looked at Mahad as the knight made a strangled noise. Yugi turned his eyes away until the knight was ready to speak again. "Is it wise to go this way, my king?"

"I am not afraid of my people, Mahad; and I have to show them that." Yugi hated the formalities that they had slipped into. He stared straight ahead, paying little attention to the scenery as he let himself fall deeper into his misery. He didn't want this! He just wanted things to continue on as they were.

Seto rode up beside him, wincing as a sudden move from his horse jarred his broken arm. Yugi looked over at his cousin, considering the taller brunette carefully before looking back at Mahad. "We'll just go to the nearest village and talk to them before heading back. I just don't have that much time anymore."

Yugi spotted a brief look of relief on Seto's face, showing him that he had made the right decision. It would not be fair to his cousin to keep running. He gently pulled his horse toward the path that led to the village, standing up in the stirrups to see over the slight rise. He wanted to know if there would be any trouble, not wanting to bring his injured cousin into a fight. When something caught his eye, Yugi urged his horse up the rise, hauling the animal to a stop as he watched the scene unfold below them.

Knights on horseback herded the villagers, sometimes leaning over to run a sword through the slower ones. Bodies sprawled out over the ground, blood running over the earth and turning the dust into mud. Women and children were kept pressed on the wall of one of the huts as the men were moved across the bridge that spanned the small stream.

Screams attracted his attention to the small red headed girl that was being dragged away from her family, a young man reaching out for his sister and shouting for her as the knight gripped her by her long red hair and carried her over to Gozaburo.

The man sat calmly on his horse on the other side of the stream, leaning against the pommel of his saddle as the struggling girl was brought before him. He smirked at the girl, the expression making Yugi shiver from his vantage point on the other end of the small village. Gozaburo motioned at the girl as he spoke, voice carrying easily. "I remember you. It was your fault, after all. I could never forget your face, girl. Think of this as a punishment for your actions."

The girl let out a whimper as the knights moved closer to her, twitching in fear as Gozaburo motioned to the fire that burned close to him. "Burn the insolence out of her eyes."

"Serenity!" The young man jerked forward, stumbling backwards in the next second as a knight carelessly backhanded him into the group of men.

Yugi couldn't stand it anymore, kicking his horse forward with Mahad following closely behind him. He was partially away of Seto following them before wheeling his horse to the side to stand between the knights and the women and children of the village. Yugi kept his palomino horse at a gallop until he reached the bridge, pulling his mount to a stop. "What are you doing?"

Gozaburo looked back at him, surprise on his face for a split second before it was gone. "Aren't you here for the same reason? I merely want to punish these ingrates for killing our beloved king for no rational reason."

"I want you to leave this village." Yugi stared at his uncle, feeling anger for the first time in his life, a deep all consuming anger. "Now!"

Gozaburo glared at him, Yugi feeling the scales of power tip away from him as the older man motioned for the knights to carry on with their business. Yugi screamed in rage and urged his horse forward, galloping for where they held the girl. He reached out for her, gasping as something hit the back of his head, lacking the proper force to knock him out. Instead, it merely threw him from his saddle, making him hit the ground hard. Yugi yelped at the impact, curling into a ball so he would roll upon impact. He lay on the ground for a while, dazed until the sounds of pained screams interrupted him. Yugi groaned and rolled up to rest his weight on one elbow, and wished that he hadn't moved.

The red headed girl was being held down while a metal point, red hot from the fire, was being slowly forced into her eye. Yugi clamped a hand over his mouth, shivering as the screaming continued. These men would know when to stop, not allowing her to die. The only hope she had now was in unconsciousness, and that would not come for a while.

Yugi clambered to his feet, glaring at Gozaburo as the screaming continued behind him. The older man laughed, only stopping when Yugi took a threatening step forward, one hand going to the sword that hung around his waist. "You had no right to do that."

"I have every right. I am the king."

"Over my dead body." Yugi growled the words out, not caring that he was about to kill a member of his own family. He had been pushed beyond that point now. His sword was being drawn from its scabbard, stopping suddenly as Gozaburo spoke.

"As you wish." He motioned for some knights to leave their duties, pointing at the small teen that was threatening him from the ground. "Kill him."

They hesitated, giving Mahad enough time to send his horse between Yugi and the slow moving knights. Yugi looked up into his mentor's face, scared at the fear that the knight displayed openly. Mahad had never been anything but calm in all the time that Yugi had known him. He shook himself out of his daze as Mahad drew his own sword. "Run, Yugi."

"But the people-"

"They will be alright. Just get yourself to safety." Yugi turned around helplessly; finding himself staring at the red headed girl as she finally slumped, succumbing to unconsciousness. He turned to look at her brother, eyes going wide at the hatred that was on the young man's face. He began to back away, returning his sword to his scabbard before groping for the reins of his own horse. Mahad turned around to look at him one more time. "Run!"

Yugi hauled himself onto his horse, kicking the palomino roughly and clinging to the whipping white mane as he urged the horse into a gallop. He glanced over his shoulder at the knights, quickly turning away as Mahad rushed forward to meet their charge. The teen turned his attention to the road in front of him, sending his horse toward the dense forest. He would find a spot where Mahad could find him and no one else. Somewhere that only the knight knew of, or even thought of searching for him. Yugi whimpered and ducked his head, feeling the needles of a pine tree brush over his back. He looked up through his swinging blonde bangs, staying crouched over his horse's neck.

There was the one place that Mahad could get to; he remembered it from his youth. He remembered Mahad escorting him through the forest on his pony before pulling the young prince from the saddle and placing Yugi in front of him. The ride to the waterfall had scared Yugi, so much that he had never tried it on his own ever again, the trail pressed against the side of a rise, one side falling away into the forested slope below. Most people did not travel on it, preferring to avoid it to remain in the valley between the ring of hills.

Yugi turned his horse again, swallowing as he saw the rock that marked the beginning of the trail, slowing his horse as they stepped out from the forest. He pulled the palomino to a walk, his hands trembling on the reins as he looked at the trail. Yugi lasted the first few strides on the narrow trail before he pulled his horse to a stop with a whimper, closing his eyes for a minute

He had to do this now, or he would get caught by those men. Yugi ran a shaking hand over his eyes before urging his horse on, shivering as the trail narrowed. His horse had barely enough room to make it up, stones skittering away underneath its hooves. Yugi buried his hands in the horse's mane, shivering increasing the further they went up the trail. Despite his best efforts, he kept looking over the drop off, breathing speeding up until he was nearly hyperventilating.

A snort from his horse drew him out of his terror for a minute, the horse struggling as the trail became steeper as it climbed the edge of the ridge and neared the top. Even from here, Yugi could hear the faint rumble of the waterfall although it was still hidden in the trees.

Shakily, Yugi pushed his horse into a trot, wincing as the clatter of stones as they slipped down the side of the trail. He yelped as his mount lunged into a canter, body automatically settling into the rocking motion as the palomino steed clambered up the last few feet of the trail. Yugi spun the horse around, sending it into the trees again. He didn't know how close the knights were to him, but he hoped that they wouldn't attempt to follow him up the trail.

Yugi pressed himself against his horse's neck, wincing as tree branches brushed over his back. He looked up from the whipping white mane to see the forest thinning out, the shadows that surrounded him thinning out to reveal boulders and a clear sky as the river cut through this part of the forest. He sat up as his horse tackled the slight slope, guiding the animal around the large rocks and to the river.

He halted at the edge of the river, looking at the crystal clear water with a shiver and biting his lower lip. He could cross the river now, putting more distance between him and his pursuers. It would also give him the advantage; he would be able to see his pursuers from the other side of the river. Yugi gave the thunderous waterfall one look before urging his horse into the water.

The palomino snorted and walked across the river, frigid water splashing up onto Yugi as he crossed. He shivered, wishing that he had brought his cloak with him. He had thought that this ride would only be a short one, but he would have to contend with the weather now. Yugi glanced up at the sky, purple eyes widening as he spotted low, dark clouds coming in; a warning that rain was coming. Something that he was not prepared to handle. Yugi ducked his head, letting his shoulders slump forward as the shivers got worse.

He looked up as his horse scrambled up the bank, letting the palomino walk into the forest before turning the horse around. Yugi dismounted, slipping from the horse to stand by its shoulder. He leaned back against the horse, letting the body heat from the animal sink into his body. Now all he had to do was wait. Mahad would come for him soon enough. If his pursuers had actually followed him here, then he could keep running, heading over this hill and into the world, a world that he had never really seen.

Yugi jumped as his horse snorted, only then realizing that his eyes had been drooping from exhaustion. He rubbed a hand over his face, the first sobs escaping him as he thought over the day. That poor girl. And he hadn't even been able to stop it. What kind of king was he?

He turned, tucking his head into his horse's mane as he began to cry, the images of the girl and the sound of her screams not leaving his head.

* * *

Mahad blocked another thrust to his head, spurring his horse away from the last attacker as he crossed the bridge, meeting up with Seto on the other side. The knight looked at Gozaburo with hatred, his eyes flicking up to stare after Yugi as the small teen disappeared into the trees. The knight gave a short sigh of relief before backing his horse up. "You have committed treason, Gozaburo."

The man shrugged, earning a growl from the knight. "I am merely securing my own line. We all know that Yugi is too weak for anything. I am merely saving the kingdom more heartache."

Mahad almost charged forward, but was restrained as Seto placed a hand on his arm. The knight looked back at Seto, not surprised that the usually icy blue eyes were dark with anger. The young man moved his horse forward, staring at his father. Seto opened his mouth to say something, shaking his head before turning to look over at Mahad. "Just find Yugi and figure out a way to stop my father. Keep the king safe no matter what."

The knight gave a sharp nod, understanding what Seto was doing. Any more fighting would just endanger the peasants, which Yugi wouldn't want. He muttered a curse under his breath before turning his horse away from the village and galloping away. He heard Seto following him, panting as he tried to work around the pain in his arm. "We need to get back to the castle and warn the queen."

"Seto." The young man nodded, wincing before urging his horse into a faster gallop, heading back to the castle. Mahad turned his own horse toward the forest, intending to follow Yugi. He pulled his horse to a halt when he saw the young blonde moved from the group, snatching a sword from one of the knights and running up to Gozaburo, tossing it awkwardly as the knights tried to stop him.

The sword dug into Gozaburo's side, the man screaming and nearly falling off the horse. Mahad jumped as an echoing roar echoed off the hills, turning his head to look back at Gozaburo as the man pulled the sword out from his side, staring at the blade in amazement before letting it drop to the ground. He rubbed the wound, pulling his hand away with a look of surprise before leaning over toward the amazed young man.

The blonde yelped and tried to get away, stopping when a sword was held up to his neck, Lector holding the other end. The knight looked up at his master with a sickening smile. "Should I kill him?"

"No." Gozaburo leered at the villagers, waving his hand in dismissal. "Death should be a release, not a punishment."

The knights rounded up the villagers, taking advantage of their speechless state to start the men moving toward the quarry. Mahad remained on his horse, shocked by the sight he had seen. That should have knocked Gozaburo out of the saddle at least. If the throw had been good enough, it would have been a mortal wound. But Gozaburo had brushed it off without a problem.

Fear suddenly seized Mahad's heart as he remembered what had happened that night before. That dragon had given Gozaburo a piece of his heart, all to make sure that the king's brother would live. Mahad knew that the man had never been the most decent, but nothing would ever make Gozaburo want to kill off his family like this. The knight had never known the king's brother to behave in such a manner. All of this led to the interference of the dragon.

"Lector," Gozaburo's voice drew Mahad's attention from his own thoughts, "you will have jurisdiction over this village for now. The others will get their just reward in the end."

Mahad gave a frustrated growl before spinning his horse around, galloping away from the village and to the hill that Aislinn had led them up the night before. For now, Yugi was forgotten as Mahad raced for the dragon's cave. It had all started there, so he would end it there. It was a little comfort, but at least he could kill the dragon that had started all of this. Revenge, while something that he did not usually condone, would begin to soothe the anger he had. The dragon had promised that Yugi would be safe, that nothing would happen to him. He should have known better than to trust the creature, known better than to go against everything that he had been taught. It should have not been that easy to talk him out of his distrust of the dragons. They were nothing more that heartless creatures who were waiting for their next chance to torture humanity.

Mahad tightened his hands on the reins as his horse tackled the rough terrain of the hill, forcing the animal to keep running even as it tired. He steered it around the rocks, ignoring the cold rain that was beginning to fall around him, dashing it from his eyes as he spotted the dragon's cave. He pulled his horse to a stop, leaping from the animal's back before it had halted completely. As soon as he hit the ground, he pulled his sword out and rushed into the cave.

He shook his head as the sound of the dragon's trilling rose above the patter of rain, his eyes narrowing as he edged further into the cave. He felt his way down the passage, wishing that he had the foresight to bring a torch with him, trusting his memory to guide him down into the chamber. Mahad relaxed as he heard the soft lap of water underneath the song of the dragon. He stepped out confidently, sword held in front of him as he shouted into the cavern. "Come out, dragon, I know you are there. You have betrayed your vow!"

The song stopped, silence falling over the cavern as the last echoes died out. Mahad paused, waiting until he heard a soft groan from the dragon before he moved forward. He thought he saw something shift in the shadows before the deep voice of the dragon echoed around the cavern. "It was not my betrayal."

"Liar!" Mahad growled out the word, taking another step forward. "You did not see him today. He blinded a girl for no reason. Gozaburo was never like that before, and it's all your doing!"

The dragon gave a hiss, the sound lacking the power to make Mahad fear the creature. He pointed the tip of his sword toward the shadows, glaring at where he thought the dragon was. "No matter where you fly, dragon, no matter where you hide, I will find you! I make a new vow here and now, I will not stop until you are dead by my blade, even if I have to spend the rest of my life hunting you down!"

Mahad waited for an answer, the silence grating on his nerves. "Show yourself!"

"As you wish." Mahad dropped to the ground as he felt air rush past him. He rolled onto his back, thrusting his sword up into the air, only to miss. The knight scrambled to his feet, finally spotting the beast by the entrance to the cavern, easily picked out from the deeper shadows. He moved forward, bringing the sword back into a guard position.

"You promised that it would keep Yugi safe, and you have only put him in more danger."

The dragon scoffed at this, his tail lashing dangerously. "As have you, knight. You have left your charge alone for longer than necessary." Mahad stopped at the confidence that suddenly returned to the dragon's voice. "And you accuse me of breaking vows."

He rushed the dragon with a scream of rage, but the creature was faster; scrambling up the passage and out of the mouth of the cave. The knight ceased his charge, having to pick his way around boulders in the dark. He heard his horse scream in fear as the dragon reached the surface. Mahad burst out of the cave and into the rain a moment later, sheathing his sword as he saw the dragon flying away into the rain.

The knight stomped back to his horse, swinging onto the animal before heading back for the village at a gallop. He would worry about the dragon later, after he had found Yugi. And he had all the time in the world for that. Mahad was sure that he would not be welcome back in the kingdom with Gozaburo at its head. Not even having Seto on his side would change that.

* * *

Seto leaned forward in the saddle, long having dropped the reins to rest on his horse's neck to hold onto his broken arm and grit his teeth against the pain. He should have known better than to ride out with Yugi and Mahad today. But he was glad that he had ignored his aunt's instructions. Yugi needed him today, and that was enough to justify the pain. Anything to protect the cousin that had become his little brother.

The brunette jerked forward, almost falling out of the saddle as his horse leapt over a small dip, groaning as the motion further jostled his injured arm. He tried to push the pain away; the pain was unimportant right now. What mattered was getting back to his aunt in time to tell her what had happened. He would have no power on his own, not without Yugi and it was not safe to bring his cousin into this.

Their chances for taking back the kingdom were very small at the moment. They only had three supporters of their new king, the rest of the kingdom too easily scared by Gozaburo to count. And, with Yugi in hiding until they could come up with something, there was no figure around which to rally. Even worse was that their forces would be divided; Mahad looking after Yugi and Aislinn while Seto stayed at the castle to keep watch over his father.

He gasped, all thoughts rushing from his head as his horse sidestepped at something, easily throwing him over the animal's shoulder. Seto landed on the ground, on his back luckily, and had all the air pushed out of him. He blinked slowly, watching his horse gallop away without him. The brunette sat up, wincing as his muscles protested the movement. The world around him spun, encouraging him to stay on the ground for a moment more.

Seto tried to glare as something moved in the bushes, instead ducking his head as the pain go to be too much for him. He settled for looking out of the corner of his eye at the thing moving in the undergrowth. His eyes widened as a young woman stepped from the bushes, holding a length of rough cloth around her as a makeshift dress When she spotted him, she almost let her wrap slip, giving Seto a glimpse of pale skin.

She seemed to gather herself together, rushing over to him and kneeling next to him. The woman shyly reached out to him, pausing to brush a strand of long white hair behind her ear before carefully touching his left shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Seto tried to nod, but only grunted in pain. The woman bit her lip and looked back toward the forest before turning her gaze back to him. Seto hastily looked away from her, the blue eyes looking far too old for a woman so young. They unsettled him as they intrigued him. While Seto was pondering over the contradiction, the woman seemed to come to a conclusion. "I'll help you back to the castle."

He gave a brief nod, allowing her to help him to his feet and take some of his weight. Seto found himself limping after his horse, cursing the animal for its stupidity. His jumped as the woman put an arm around his waist, shooting her a disbelieving look. The woman merely shrugged, still looking ahead. "I would rather not fall over."

Seto was surprised by her slightly rough manner, too used to women fawning over him. He found himself liking the way this woman was treating him, like he was no one important, before he shook the thought off. He was better than that. He was the cousin to the king. No woman had the right to treat him like he was their equal. Seto tried to draw himself upright, mentally grumbling when he couldn't move far. "Do you know who you are speaking to?"

"No." The answer threw Seto, while the woman didn't seem too concerned.

Seto stared at the woman in shock, not used to being anonymous. He hid his shock quickly, putting on his usual mask. "I am Seto, heir to-"

"That means nothing to me." Her words should have sounded spiteful, but she managed to sound honest, like it was the truth instead of something just to annoy him. Seto stared at her as she helped him along, only partially aware that the woman was supporting almost all his weight on her own. He swallowed nervously before he shifted so he was walking on his own.

"Where are you from?" Everyone in the kingdom knew him. This was the only reason he could think that would earn that response. He saw her shrug and reach out for him again, correcting his drift.

"Around, just not here all the time." She hesitated for a moment, looking back over her shoulder at the forest. "I have spent some time here…mostly on my own."

"On your own…" Seto trailed off before his thoughts ran away from him. He had no right to question the woman on her past or anything else. Her manner of speech and way of movement told him that this was a lady of breeding. But he would have met her by now, and she wouldn't lower herself to help him or wear a rough cloth instead of a dress. A contradiction in many ways, one that was drawing him in against his will. Seto shook his head, refocusing his gaze ahead so he wouldn't be pulled in by her again. He stared at the distant castle, keeping his voice at a monotone. "We'll reward you for your kindness."

His announcement earned a chuckle from the woman. "What is the world coming to that kindness needs a reward?"

She shook her head, Seto not knowing whether to take it as a rejection or not. And nothing from her was giving him a hint. He resigned himself to her enigma, telling himself not to care and losing the battle.

* * *

Aislinn moved back down the hall to her chambers, shivering as she entered. The room was so cold now, lacking the warmth that her husband would bring with him. By now, he would have found a way out of his duties for a night with her. Now the only warmth came from the candles, which reflected in the jeweled eyes of the dragons. Aislinn sighed and walked to the small balcony and leaned on the railing.

Yugi hadn't come back from his ride, and night was falling, bringing rain with it. Mahad and Seto were also still missing; the latter's disappearance having gone from annoyance to worry. The three should have been back by now, because Gozaburo's lackeys had returned; they were the reason that she was up here, held captive in her own chambers as Gozaburo crowned himself king. Her hands tightened into fists, only partially aware that her fingernails were digging into her palms. Aislinn turned to look down at the courtyard below, breathing a sight of relief as Seto came through the gate, a woman helping him along. The queen relaxed, now seething that she was unable to help her nephew.

Aislinn turned her head as a celebratory cheer echoed from the great hall. So it was done already, Gozaburo was the new king. She ducked her head, reaching out to pull the curtains around her balcony. Right now, she didn't want to be found. Her head jerked back up as the sudden rush of air, watching as the large black dragon landed below her before stretching himself to look at her, brown eyes blinking in sorrow. Aislinn reached out to touch the dragon, blinking when he drew away. "I'm sorry. I thought it would work. I thought that I could change him."

He looked away for a moment, staring toward the old fortress which could barely be seen. In the interlude, rain started to fall, the clouds having the valley. The dragon looked up at the sky, mouth falling open for a moment before he looked back at the queen with a long sigh. "I too was just trying to save my son."

Aislinn gave a wavering smile before reaching out to touch the dragon's muzzle. "I understand."

They lapsed into companionable silence, just listening to the fall of the rain. It was the dragon who finally moved, glancing at the sky with sad eyes. "I was hoping, when the time came, the stars would be visible."

"At least one still shines brightly." The dragon chuckled at Aislinn's words, the queen reluctantly pulling away to walk into the room. She pulled the curtains away, letting the dragon watch her as she moved about in her room. Her eyes passed over the carved dragons until she spotted the sword. It was the one thing that they had brought to her after they had buried her husband, his sword.

Aislinn picked up the blade, looking over it with tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. She remembered that he had promised her that it would never harm a dragon, that it would break before any human stooped that low. His people were more inclined to believe in such tales of magic, while she knew the true power of magic. It could only create, never destroy.

The queen looked back at the dragon, watching as he nodded slowly at the sight of the sword. He drew himself up, having to stretch to bring his chest level with the balcony. Aislinn wiped the tears from her face, looking over the magnificent dragon before drawing the sword. The dragon looked at her for a moment longer before raising his brown eyes to the sky. "Let us end this."

"I'm sorry, my lord."

She caught a bit of a smile on the dragon's muzzle before it disappeared. "So am I, Aislinn. So am I."

The queen threw the scabbard to the side, walking over to the balcony and reaching out to lift the scale out of her way. She backed up, gripping the sword like her husband had showed her, wrapping both hands around the hilt before lunging forward.

"Dragon!" The point of the blade missed its target as the dragon spun around at the cry, Aislinn dropped the sword to her side and lunged to look over the edge of the balcony as the knights poured out of the great hall at the cry. She looked up at the dragon, frantically motioning him away as he lowered himself onto all four legs.

"Flee from here!"

The dragon snarled at the men, opening his wings and beating them a few times. He looked back up at the queen, turning away from the humans. "I'll find your son, Aislinn."

She opened her mouth to thank the dragon when she saw Gozaburo rushed out into the courtyard, glancing at the dragon before glaring at the queen. The king's brother pointed at her, bellowing out his orders. "Kill the beast, the witch commands it! It will fly for reinforcements and our kingdom will be overrun with more like her!"

A young knight charged forward, drawing his sword in a dramatic fashion. The dragon glanced down at the knight, growling as he reached out to smack the knight aside. The young knight crumpled to the ground, lying still with a large gash in his stomach. Aislinn gasped and covered her mouth. Akhnamkanon was not trying to kill the humans, but it was hard not to break the fragile bodies. The dragon looked down at its own hand in disgust before backing away.

Lector took his chance, lunging forward to stab his sword into the dragon's hind leg. Akhnamkanon roared in pain, a similar cry coming from Gozaburo as he clutched his leg in pain, falling to his hands and knees. The crown that sat awkwardly on his head tumbled to the ground, clattering across the wet courtyard. Aislinn watched as the man stared at the crown before looking up at her, stiffening as he stared at the sword that she held in her hand. Aislinn remained frozen as Gozaburo clambered to his feet, looking between her and the dragon before snatching up the crown and lunging forward. "Stop! I want this creature alive."

The queen's breath caught in her throat as Gozaburo leered at the dragon, watching as Akhnamkanon limped to the wall of the castle. As he tensed for a jump, Gozaburo called out again. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, dragon. Remain here, or we kill the queen."

Akhnamkanon hesitated for a moment before shaking his head, brown eyes flicking up to look at her, verifying the decision. Aislinn hesitated for a moment before giving a slight nod. She was ready for death, if it came to that. She had outlived all her family and her husband. Yugi would be fine with Mahad to protect him, and she was sure that Akhnamkanon would look after him.

The dragon looked away and made to lunge forward, but was stopped by Gozaburo's next words. "And we will kill every dragon we find."

Aislinn felt the sword fall from her hand as Akhnamkanon backed away from the wall, standing still as chains were brought out. Gozaburo began ordering the knights around, outlining their duties and directing others away to begin to prepare a place close by that they could keep the dragon. The queen leaned on the railing over her balcony, her hair falling to cover her face. This was all wrong.

She pushed away from the railing and raced back inside her chambers, roughly pulling the curtains to block the scene below her. Aislinn gulped in a breath of air and wrapped her arms around herself, pressing herself into a corner of her chambers and trying to avoid the stares of her carved dragons. Never had the creatures looked as angry as this moment; but she had never done anything on like this before.

Aislinn dropped to her knees, choking back the sobs that shook her body, suddenly wishing that her husband would show up and comfort her. She wanted someone to tell her that this would all turn out for the better. That Yugi would not be forced into this position that would only lead to civil war, and a high possibility that he would get killed. That she wouldn't have to live with the guilt of knowing that a dragon was kept chained down in the courtyard because of something that she had asked him to do. That everything that was happening was just a dream, and that it would all go away in the morning.

The queen sunk all the way to the floor, wishing with all her heart that all of it would come true and trying to block out the mournful sound of the rain and the sharp cries of the dragon as the knights tortured the creature.

She raised herself from the floor, darting back out to the balcony to retrieve the sword. She would wait for the knights to finish their business before going to relieve the dragon of its suffering. If the dragon died, then Gozaburo would die. The heart that the dragon had given the man would continue to beat as long as the original was present. Aislinn dried her tears quickly and opened her door before sneaking through the halls of the castle.

* * *

Atem growled from his position in the forest. Kisara and her human had disappeared into the castle a few moments ago, leaving him to wait under cover. He snorted, turning his head to the side to look at something other than the disgusting arrangement of stones. He was tempted just to go hunting now and leave Kisara; she was right where she wanted to be after all. But he stayed just the same, something telling him to wait for a while longer.

The sound of another dragon made Atem turn his head back around, his red eyes narrowing in confusion as he watched his father fly into the courtyard and stand up to talk to some human, probably the woman from the night before. Atem shifted nervously, wanting to leave before his father discovered that he was here. That might lead to questioning about Kisara and then a lecture when he discovered what Atem let the white dragon do.

He jumped at the sound of shouts, stumbling out of the tree cover to stare at the castle. He thought he saw his father appear over the side of the wall for a moment before ducking back down. Atem froze out in the open, straining his senses to catch anything from the castle. He was barely aware of the cold rain that pelted down on him, eyes going wide as he heard the rattle of chains as the short cries of pain that came from the courtyard.

Atem jolted forward in the sudden silence, pressing himself close to the ground as he moved toward the castle. He slunk toward the nearest wall, opening his wings for balance as he peered over the battlements. When he was sure that he wouldn't be seen, he pushed himself further up, watching as the humans moved back into the castle, following the line of humans before tracing the path back to where they had come from.

In the farthest corner of the courtyard, pressed between the castle and the walls, was Akhnamkanon. Chains kept the dragon on his belly, wrapping around all four legs, his neck, middle and tail. The chains ran through brackets hammered into the cobblestones. They clanked faintly as Akhnamkanon pulled at them, testing the chains for a way out. The black dragon finally let his struggles stop, turning his head slightly as the woman from the night before stepped out into the rain, the dim light glinting off the sword.

There was no conversation between the two, just the slight shift of the chained dragon as he presented the left side of his chest to the woman. Atem dug his claws into the stone, trying to support himself better as he struggled to see what was going on. He beat his wings, tilting himself forward to lean against the stone. He heard the stone begin to buckle as he leaned further into the wall, his mouth opened to scream as the woman prepared to lunge forward.

From the shadows, a man darted forward, catching her arm and tearing the sword from her grasp before pressing her against the wall. Akhnamkanon snarled, straining against the chains again as the woman struggled against her captor. The man leered at her, slapping her before he began to speak. "I know why you want to kill this dragon, because you would kill me and that would end this silly little fight."

The woman didn't look at the man, keeping her head in the position that he slap had carried it to. "I was merely correcting a mistake that allowed a creature to live beyond its time."

"You should have corrected that mistake seventeen years ago." The man was roughly shoved away as the woman ran for the sword, gasping as she was pulled back at the last minute. Atem snarled, the sound drowned out by his father's roar as the man picked up the sword from the ground and drove it into the woman's stomach. The woman gasped, falling to the ground and staring up at him in disgust. The man pulled himself up from his crouch, brushing his hands off on his clothes before returning to the castle.

Atem vaulted over the wall, feeling it crumple under him as he skidded into the courtyard, rushing over to where Akhnamkanon was chained to the ground. His father didn't even notice him, too busy straining at the chains that held him to the ground. Atem stopped as the brown eyes snapped back up to look at him, the anger causing him to stumble back, carefully placing his feet so he wouldn't step on the woman.

The red and black dragon jumped as a cold hand was placed on his leg, distracting him from his father. He swung his head down to look at the human woman who was still hanging onto the last vestiges of life. She gave a weak cough, blood spotting her lips. "My son…watch over my son…Morningstar."

Atem jumped away, jerking his leg away from her as she finally died, standing in the courtyard with a look of shock on his face. How did this human woman know who he was? A snarl from his father brought his attention back to the chained dragon. Atem walked toward the black dragon, pausing when the snarl increased in volume. "You heard her, go find her son."

"Not until I get you free."

"Leave!" Atem pulled his foot away, Akhnamkanon's teeth closing inches away from it. The red and black dragon stared at his father in amazement before inching closer to the chains that held him to the ground, getting a good hold on them before straining. "Did you not hear me? Leave now!"

"No! There are some who need you!" Atem didn't say that he still needed his father around; he still needed the barrier to protect him from the title he feared. "And I am not going to let him keep you chained here like some tamed beast!"

"Leave before they get you too!" Atem relaxed, crouching down so he could stare right into his father's eyes.

"What is so important about me? Why should I give up to preserve my own life?"

His father looked away. "You're the Morningstar."

Atem roared in frustration, claws going back around the chain as he pushed off the ground, grunting as they jerked him back to the ground. He opened his wings, trying to stay in the air as the strained against the chains. He smirked as he felt them shift, beating his wings harder.

"Atem!" He turned his head to the side, snarling as he saw the man leading out a squad of men out into the rain, pointing at him and yelling. Atem let the chain drop, shifting so he was hovering in the air. Already his muscles were beginning to ache from the strain of holding his bulk in one place, he didn't have much time.

"Kill that dragon!" Atem drew back his head, feeling flames tickle in his throat, the first tongues licking the back of his teeth as he stared down at the people. He waited, daring them to make the first move. One knight took a better hold on the spear he had, deciding at the last moment to throw it at the chained dragon. Atem's eyes widened as both his father and the leader of the humans screamed in pain, the man clutching his shoulder. He lost his hold on his temper, releasing the flames from his mouth in a stream.

He cut off the stream, still feeling the heat in the back of his throat as he prepared his next round, snarling. Humans couldn't be trusted, Aknadin was right about that. They tried to enslave or kill dragons, never holding to their treaties. Atem's eyes narrowed as the knights prepared their next attack, not even giving them the chance as he let the flames pour from his mouth again.

The people screamed and ran for cover, trying to dodge the dark flames that came from the dragon. Atem broke his hover to rise further into the air before hovering again, puffing out his chest and he drew more oxygen into his body, further fueling the fire in his stomach. He could already feel the effects of using his flame when the weather was cold, his reactions beginning to slow as the cold seeped into his body, but he didn't care a the moment. He swooped over the courtyard, bathing the cobblestones in flame.

Atem landed, easily striding through the fire before returning to his father, claws wrapping around the red-hot chains for another attempt. He roared in pain as he felt something prick his tail, spinning around to glare at the small group of knights that had gathered behind him. He smiled, revealing his sharp teeth before snapping one of the humans up in his jaws. Atem gave his head a fierce shake, feeling the bones in the human snap under the strain before he threw the knight carelessly over the wall, tongue flicking around in his mouth as he tried to rid himself of the horrible taste of human flesh.

He lashed out with his tail, herding the knights into a smaller group before he bathed them in flame, laughing at their screams of pain. Atem had little time to gloat, turning his head at the snap of bowstrings from the castle itself. He pressed himself to the ground, watching as the arrows rained down in the small space between him and his father. He opened his mouth, fire flickering visibly at the back of his throat before he thought through his plan.

If the arrows burst into flame, then it would rain over Akhnamkanon, which would go against his intention to keep him safe. Atem stepped over his father, having to stretch himself out to accomplish this, and glared at the humans. This way, the fire would just land on him, and it wouldn't hurt as much, or so he thought. He growled as the humans prepared to fire again, obviously not caring what they hit.

A rumble from below him drew his attention to his father, Atem looking out of the corner of his eye as the black dragon twisted to look at his son. "For the last time, Atem, run."

"But-"

"I did this all for you, for all the dragons. That is the price of the title you bear." Atem froze, not daring to breathe as he father continued talking quickly. "You are the hope that all the dragons flock to and it is your fate to sacrifice yourself for the good of all. That is what your title means. I took this upon myself to protect you, to try and save you from that destiny and I have failed. Now go!"

Atem looked back over the still smoldering courtyard before glancing down at his father. He was about to protest again, but gave up as he saw the hopelessness on Akhnamkanon's face. The black dragon rested his head on the ground. "Please, give them someone to look to in the upcoming times of darkness, because they will need you."

His red eyes widened in surprise before he acted. Atem shoved himself off the ground, his flight hitching as his muscles protested. He gave one powerful flap, lifting above the castle walls. Atem began to turn, his mind frantically working for a place to hide. His head turned quickly at the more powerful snap of a crossbow being loaded and then released. He heard the whistle of the arrow a moment before it slammed into his shoulder.

Atem roared in pain, his flight wavering for a minute before he forced himself away from the castle. He could hear the cheers of the people as they celebrated the defeat of one dragon at the capture of another, wincing as the shaft stuck in his shoulder stung. He reached back to tear at the arrow, gritting his teeth as the wooden shaft snapped, leaving the arrowhead still embedded in his shoulder. Atem growled, forcing himself to even out his flight before continuing on, rain falling into his eyes.

He didn't want to go home. He didn't want to have to face Aknadin after all of this. The dragon would boast how he was right. And then Atem would be forced into fulfilling his title, probably striking at the humans until he himself was killed, all for the good of the dragons. And that couldn't happen. Everything was up to Atem now, everything that he couldn't face at the moment. Right now he was in pain, exhausted and cold, too cold.

The black and red dragon wheeled, drifting over a pine forest that wrapped its way around a hill. He could find temporary shelter on the other side of the hill and think over what he had to do from over there. So far his only idea was to free his father, which he knew he had to do, but he had to be calmer about it. His temper would only get him killed.

Before Atem could carry out his plan, he shuddered in exhaustion, the cold taking a quicker toll on him than he expected and sending him plummeting to the ground. He hastily tried to slow his fall, hoping that he would avoid any more injuries. From the way his shoulder was throbbing, the arrow had found muscle and he would be stiffer in the mornings until he healed.

He claws scraped the ground once before his momentum carried him into the river. Atem gasped at the sudden cold, bringing his head up so he wouldn't accidentally swallow water. He quickly braced himself against the quickly moving current, eyes flicking downstream to stare at the waterfall that was formed. He skidded on the riverbed, stones clattering against his legs until he finally stopped a good distance from the waterfall.

Atem sighed, pushing through the river toward the bank when he was sure of his balance, his wings just drifting on the surface of the water. He scrambled at the shore, managing to haul himself halfway up before his legs gave out. The dragon slumped to the ground with a moan, red eyes falling shut.

It was too dangerous to stay like this all night. His body temperature would drop too low, and he would be stuck in one place, unable to defend himself until he warmed up again. It seemed like fate was against him as well, because the combination of the rain and the use of his fire before had steadily sent him to this level. Atem groaned, trying to get a good grip on the ground and finish moving out of the river, not wanting to leave himself to chance overnight.

His grip slipped, sending him crashing back into the water. The dragon snarled, flapping his wings to get himself airborne. Ignoring the pain from his shoulder, Atem rose above the surface of the water, swooping over to the banks before crashing into the ground. The black and red dragon didn't move for a long time, just letting himself feel the pain through all his limbs. Blearily, he raised his head to look around.

Atem could see over the lip of the waterfall, his position allowing him to see into the depths of the forest. He blinked as he saw something move, the haze in front of his eyes clearing as he forced himself to focus. There was a human in the forest. For a moment, Atem was ready to leap down and slaughter the human, ready to blame it for all of his problems, but he stopped when he saw that the human was pacing, rubbing its arms.

The dragon resettled himself into a more comfortable position, stretching his leg out to relieve the pressure on his injured shoulder. Atem never thought he would enjoy people watching, but he found himself unable to take his eyes off this human, searching his memories for where he had seen this particular one before.

As the human stepped briefly out of the shadows of the trees, Atem recognized him, easily placing the wide purple eyes and the tri-colored hair. It was the little human who was always with Kisara's human; the one that they called prince. Atem gave a confused rumble, tilting his head to the side. Why would he be out here on his own?

The little prince was paler than the last time Atem had seen him, the sound of his chattering teeth audible to the dragon as he rested above the waterfall. The human was suffering like he was, attempting to keep itself warm much like Atem. And it was alone, like Atem.

The dragon groaned, trying to lift himself from the ground only to fall back, head dropping to rest on the ground. He should have been trying to get away from this human, especially since it came from those who had imprisoned his father. But, instead, he felt compassion towards it. They were both alone and cold, kindred spirits; a feeling that Atem had lost when Kisara had chosen to be with her human.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Atem knew that these ideas were brought on by his exhaustion and the slow shut down of his body to conserve heat, but right now, he didn't care. The dragon shifted his head, red eyes slowly shutting. Atem was left in a dark world where sounds and scents slowly filtered in. He groaned, curling around himself to try and keep himself warm as the input from his senses continued.

He could hear the human's pacing, the sound of the human trying to warm himself up and the sound of his horse in the background. Atem could smell the horse, the scent of the human and the rain. He shuddered, wincing at the movement. Anything to make this torture stop.

Atem jerked his head up at the sound of another rider approaching. He grumbled and raised his head, aware that his neck was trembling. He blinked slowly, recognizing the man who rode up as one of the knights that had visited his father the night before. Atem tried to growl, only getting a rumble deep his chest. The sound stopped abruptly as the knight began shouting.

"Yugi! Yugi where are you!" The knight urged his horse into the river, turning it around in the center as he continued to shout. "Yugi!"

"Mahad." Atem turned his head at the weak summons from the forest. He saw the prince, Yugi, lead his horse out of the forest; leaning heavily on the palomino's neck. Atem gave a concerned croon, clamping his mouth shut as a cough threatened to escape. He leaned forward, noticing that Yugi's eyes were glazed over. "Mahad?"

"Yes." The knight hopped off his horse, leading the animal to the opposite bank to stand by Yugi. The knight looked over his charge before assisting Yugi onto his horse, tying the reins of the palomino onto the back of his saddle. Mahad mounted his horse, wrapping an arm around the prince. The boy leaned back with a groan.

"Mahad?"

"I'm here, Yugi. I'm here, my king." The whispered words seemed to answer Yugi's question because the boy slumped, Atem listening as his breathing slowed into a sleeping pattern. Atem let his head drop, a long sigh escaping him, feeling his own body urging him to sleep. He shifted, clambering slowly to his feet, ignoring the fact that the two humans were disappearing into the pine forest to his right. Atem spread his wings, simply walking off the edge of the plateau he was on and gliding down.

He stumbled upon landing, splashing into the river and walking back to the waterfall. The dragon tipped his head to the side before stepping through the sheet of water. He closed his eyes, wincing as the water pounded down onto his scales. Atem took a deep breath as he stepped into the cave, already feeling a bit warmer by being out of the falling rain. Atem scrambled up onto the first ledge that looked big enough for him, managing to stay conscious long enough to curl up before falling asleep.

* * *

Kisara felt Seto's eyes on her as she reentered the room. She could sense his impatience, could see it in his body language as he lay on the bed. She had been go too long 'properly dressing herself to be in his presence'; his words exactly. She saw him relax minutely out of the corner of her eye, taking it as a sign that he had worried her. It should have warmed her heart, but she was too worried about the sounds she had heard, what she had seen.

Seto's father had captured Akhnamkanon, chaining the great dragon in the courtyard. Kisara had to force herself to keep from shivering. The humans had caught their one hope against needless slaughter, Akhnamkanon being the dragon that urged a treaty with the humans. And she had heard Atem fighting before absolute silence. Kisara couldn't bring herself to check to see if Atem was chained down by his father, not willing to have all her hopes crushed in one fell swoop. It would be truly hopeless if Atem was caught.

"What was all that noise?" Kisara jumped, hands, clenching in the soft blue fabric of her borrowed dress. She tried to face Seto, struggling not to shudder in fear.

"Your father caught a dragon. He's got him chained in the courtyard."

Seto paled slightly, the only reaction to her words. "My aunt would not let him. It's against all the treaties-"

"Do you think he cares about treaties?" Kisara glared at him before turning around. She didn't want to argue with Seto, not right now. She wrapped her arms around herself, wanting to run out of the castle and find her friend. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying. She was so useless!

"We can't do anything now." Seto raised his good hand to stop her protest. "Give my arm time to heal and we can free your dragon. Where are you going?"

Kisara paused at the door, pointing out shyly. She thought she saw his eyes darken for a moment, a shiver running down her spine. Seto shook his head, turning the motion into a jerk as a command to return to the center of the room. Kisara meekly obeyed, standing with her head bowed. Seto snorted at the display of obedience. "I need your help, as much as it pains me to say it. You seem to be more knowledgeable in these matters than I am."

She looked up, opening her mouth to protest. Seto was standing right in front of her, Kisara realizing that she hadn't heard the man get up from the bed. She was about to take a step back when Seto grabbed her arm, obviously taking the action as another attempt to escape. "You. Are. Staying. Here."

They both leaned forward at the same time, Kisara to protest the treatment and Seto to intimidate her further. They met halfway in an accidental kiss, both of them freezing as they tried to figure out what had happened. Kisara acted first, flinging her arms around his neck as she let Seto dominate the kiss. They were probably moving too fast for real love, for the kind of life that Kisara imagined she would have with Seto; but she couldn't bring herself to care at the moment. This was enough.

* * *

Gozaburo leaned against the arrow slit, not really watching the dragon that was chained in the courtyard. One hand tapped over the scar on his chest. The memories were coming back now, the dragon and the trip into the dragon's cave. He had half of that dragon's heart in his chest, and that was keeping him alive. He didn't quite know how it worked, probably something to do with the witch, but he wasn't complaining. It gave him a second chance at his plan. It made him invincible for as long as the dragon was kept safe. Gozaburo wouldn't let his dragon get away from him, he would use this to his advantage and expand his kingdom went the populace was settled enough.

He pushed away from the window, pausing as he saw flames appear. A smile slowly crossed his face at the bright orange and yellow flames, a welcome change from the black flames that his knights had been trying to put out since the second dragon attacked. That was one thing taken care of; the witch would not bother him any longer, not when she had been stabbed through the stomach and her body burnt. His second worry was his new castle, which he pushed away to deal with tomorrow. The populace had to be gathered and skilled worked hired.

His third worry was his son.

Gozaburo sighed, rubbing his temples against the oncoming headache. Seto was the only son his weak wife had given him, the only one strong enough to survive. And, while Seto's headstrong manner often annoyed him, Gozaburo could see the makings of a king, if he pushed his son harder. First, he had to find a suitable woman for his son to marry, one without any ties to the clans that had sired Aislinn. Eventually Seto would have to undergo the same treatment as him, granting him the chance to live forever. He opened the door to his chambers, the action automatic. It wouldn't be smart to being a power struggle between two immortal kings, so Seto would have to be sent off to one of the conquered lands.

In the meantime, it would be smart to kill off the dragons in the area. It was a pity that they had been unable to capture that second dragon; that one looked like it would be suitable enough. And with that temper, Seto could easily use his dragon as a weapon instead of a threat the way Gozaburo was sure that his dragon would remain. But, Seto's dragon could easily be hatched from an egg, which was obtained more easily than a full grown beast.

He rested on the bed, pulling off his boots as his smile widened. Yugi would not bother him, the people didn't want a sickly king or a witch's son. If Yugi came back, no one would stand behind him for a rebellion. He would be killed first. It was Yugi's pet knight that presented a problem, but Mahad would never let anything endanger Yugi; and the risk of stepping into the spotlight would be enough to do that. So there would be no rebellion from that front. He was secure for now, as long as that dragon wasn't set free. Who knew how the dragon would attempt to kill itself to rid itself from the connection to Gozaburo?

The new king shut his eyes, too tired to put on his nightclothes, and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Aknadin blinked as he scrambled over the wall into the castle, staring at his brother in horrified awe. When neither his nephew nor Akhnamkanon had returned to the cavern that they shared when that night, he had gotten nervous. All the humans were acting strange, getting antsy for some reason. Only when he had felt safe did Aknadin venture out to find his brother. And he had never expected this.

The black dragon slipped into the shadows with a worried trill, relaxing when he saw Akhnamkanon turn his head slightly to see him. A faint smile crossed his brother's face before Akhnamkanon jerked his head to the side. "You should go before they attack you too."

"Not with you still here." Aknadin moved to the nearest bracket, staring at it closely. He could probably yank it out with brute strength. He looped his claws around the metal bracket, shifting for better leverage. "I told you that this was a bad idea."

"Aknadin, stop." At the tone of Akhnamkanon's voice, Aknadin relaxed, looking at his brother in concern. Akhnamkanon sighed, shaking his head. "Atem already tried and could not get them loose."

"I'm stronger than Atem."

"You may be, but I will not risk you like this." Akhnamkanon snarled as Aknadin reached for the bracket again, the sound sending the black dragon scrambling backwards. Aknadin hesitated, torn between leaving and hoping that tomorrow Akhnamkanon would have regained his senses, or staying a freeing his brother despite his protests. The captive dragon sensed his confusion, turning his head with a soft growl. "Just worry about yourself, it is all we can do now."

Akhnamkanon was going to be stubborn, he gave an annoyed snort, slinking back to the wall. Aknadin paused in the process of lifting himself over the structure. "I'll be back."

"Hide yourself. Things will be getting worse very soon."

Akunadin took one look as his brother before hauling himself over the wall, shuddered as soon as he was out of Akhnamkanon's sight. His brother had a sense for these things. He had been the reason they had taken Atem away from the south before the huge massacre that had happened, not wanting to risk the young dragon being torn apart to save them. Aknadin would trust his brother on this too. He sighed before moving off, taking to the air to find an unoccupied cave close to the castle to spend his time in.

 


	3. Lost

 

**Chapter Three: Lost**

****  
_All alone the players make their stand;  
Spread across this wasted land._  


**Four Years Later**

Joey readjusted his hold on the rope, looking over at his two friends before the team of men began to pull the rope, sweat glistening on their skin. The blonde grunted at the exertion, growling as the platform that held the stone slowly began to move, conveying the white block up to join its fellows; where it would be loaded onto a sledge and pulled up the hill to the new castle. There the stone would be laid among its brethren and shaped to perfection by the master masons and their teams, who were working to complete the new castle.

The once ruined fortress glistened from the hill top, the white stone catching the sunlight and sending it back to blind the eye. The darker stones, the ones closer to grey than white, were used in constructing the lesser structures, the order from the king being that his castle had to be white, like the original fortress. The walls that surrounded the castle were also made up of the rejected stones, built to mimic those of the original castle.

Four years of nonstop work, and Gozaburo's castle was close to being completed. Finishing touches were being made to the building, the last stones smoothed and plans checked over for the final time. The castle would be ready for winter, when the king would take residence in his new abode. The gentry talked endlessly about the opening of the great castle, wanting to see the king ride to his new home in glory.

The peasants could care less.

Joey stopped pulling at the shout from the overseer, the red headed man giving them all a nod of thanks before shielding his eyes to see the signals of those on the top of the quarry, granting his workers a break. Joey let himself collapse to the ground, giving a weak nod to Tristan and Duke as them moved to sit next to him. All three men kept their eyes on their overseer, pleading mentally that a break would be called.

The red headed man looked back at them, rolling his shoulders as he walked away. "Take a break, boys. They say that they're waiting for further orders."

The others on their team fell to the ground where they stood, often rolling onto their backs and closing their eyes as exhaustion overpowered them. On his part, Joey merely wiped the sweat from his brow and slumped against the rock he was using as a backrest.

Four years of work had almost quelled the rebellious boy who had been ready to give his life for a cause. Now, he worked to support his family, or what was left of it. His father was now an old man, bent by years of toil in the quarry and sour from disappointment. What little money Joey received for his job, he kept to himself. His father could spend his own meager rewards on drink, but Joey had to take care of his sister.

He saw the two men beside him shift upright, both of them tugging at their clothes as they tried to look presentable. Joey sat up, a smile breaking across his face as he saw his sister carefully picking her way across the quarry, men pausing in their work to help her across difficult obstacles. He cupped his hands around his mouth before shouting, "Serenity!"

The pretty red headed woman turned toward his voice, her smile increasing in size as she picked her way over to her brother, pulling off the water skin she carried and handing it over. Tristan took it first, taking a small sip before passing it over to Duke, who moved slightly to the side to allow Serenity to sit next to her brother. Joey reached up to guide her down, frowning at the cloth that covered her eyes, her pretty…Joey looked away in sorrow. It had been a long time if he had forgotten what color his sister's eyes were before they had been burned. His hand clenched on his thigh as he remembered the day. And how their prince failed to save her. But most of his anger was directed toward Gozaburo. The tyrant had no reason to blame a girl for what Joey had done.

"Brother." Joey was pulled out of his thoughts as Serenity ran a hand over his face, her smile faltering. "Why are you frowning?"

"It's nothing."

Serenity didn't look convinced, but she let the subject drop, leaning back to enjoy the time with her brother. Joey smiled at the motion, pulling her closer to his side when Duke and Tristan began to look with interest at his sister. As much as he felt that the two men were his brothers, he would not allow them to make advances toward his sister. Or, at least he tried to keep them away from his sister.

Joey shifted, about to tell them both off when the sound of an arrow whistling through the air made him stop. The three men were on their feet in a moment, the blonde pushing his sister behind him as he watched a party of noblemen ride into the quarry. His eyes narrowed as he recognized the king, his son and three knights. Gozaburo was lowering his bow, smirking at his son who looked disgusted with the whole affair. On the other hand, the knights and a few of the gentry were smirking.

"A good shot, my king."

"A _very_ good shot."

Joey growled, meeting the king's gaze as Gozaburo glanced over at him. The man stiffened for a moment, tilting his head to the side before smiling a fraction. Joey thought he was going to go after Serenity again when he saw a familiar brunette girl run up to Gozaburo. His eyes widened as he recognized Tèa, one of the girls who he had grown up in the village. Joey hesitated for a minute before pushing Serenity to Tristan, a stern glare warning the man not to use this surrender to his advantage.

The blonde began to walk slowly to where Tèa was walking to the horses. He glanced at where she had come from, his brown eyes softening in sympathy. Her father was leaning against a cut of stone, breathing heavily as he tried to rest. It was hard for the older men and they often died while working in the quarry. Tèa's father was one of the last of the older generation still working here, one of the few who had not been crippled by the work.

"Oh look, a moving target." One of the noblemen smirked at his own joke, a glare from a knight silencing further laughter. Gozaburo, however, broke into laughter, grabbing another arrow and drawing his bow. Joey moved faster, almost reaching Tèa before Gozaburo relaxed his bow.

"You have some spunk in you, peasant."

Tèa kept her eyes trained on the ground, her voice only loud enough for those around the king to hear. "Please, my lord, my father is old and exhausted. He would only slow the work down." She looked up, her blue eyes becoming more determined as the king remained unmoved. "He is an old man, he can do you no more harm."

Gozaburo nodded, a strange look crossing his face before he drew his bow and fired again. Joey leapt forward, knocking Tèa to the ground. He sat up, quickly looking her over and sighing when he realized that she had not been harmed. A scream from the girl made him turn his head, mouth dropping open in shock. Tèa's father was still leaning against the rock, but his sightless eyes stared up to the sky, an arrow buried in his chest.

Joey was shoved away as the brunette woman ran for her father, the move earning a laugh from the king. Joey looked back, fighting to keep his face neutral as Gozaburo leaned over and spoke to his son. "This one has more spunk than that maid you insist on bedding."

Seto scowled and turned his horse around, urging the animal back to the castle. The rest of the party followed after him, Gozaburo remaining behind to leer at Tèa as she looked back at him. He nodded to her, keeping a tight hold on his prancing steed. "I always said that death should be a release, not a punishment."

The king kicked his horse in the sides, the already flighty animal bolting after its fellows, leaving the quarry workers in stunned silence. Most turned back to their work, avoiding the dead body and the girl that sobbed over her father. They were all aware that they could be next. They were all hardened to the sight of death, and it had ceased to bother them.

Joey looked at his friends and sister before moving over to kneel by Tèa, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Tèa tensed at the move before relaxing, turning her head to look at Joey with tear filled eyes. "Why?"

The blonde merely shrugged, looking down at the ground. "We'll give a proper burial tonight, I promise."

Tèa nodded, waving him back to work. Comfort given, Joey stood up, intending to move back to his friends but was stopped by what the brunette muttered. "I'll kill him. Just watch me. I'll kill him for what he has done."

Joey shivered and walked quickly back over to his group, pulling Serenity away from Tristan and pointing her toward Tèa. The red headed girl looked up at her brother. "What happened Joey?"

"The king killed Tèa's father. I need you to keep an eye on her today, alright?" Serenity nodded before making her way across the quarry, kneeling down next to Tèa before encouraging her to head for the village. Joey heaved a sigh of relief before turning back to his work, his overseer summoning them for another block. He didn't want anyone else he knew dying at the hands of their tyrant, there were enough funerals anyway.

* * *

The sun shone gently over the field of wheat, the golden stalks swaying in the breeze. It was warm for fall, the summer seeming unwilling to give up its hold over the land between the hills. Peasants made their way through the wheat, cutting it down as they prepared to harvest the bounty that they had struggled to grow, their morose faces telling the true story. They would get little of what they worked for, most of it going to feed the ravenous nobles.

One man was completely oblivious to the working going on around him, riding down the road on a brown mule as he stared at the scrap of parchment that he was writing on, often speaking aloud as he muttered words to himself, finding their fit in the epic that he was struggling to write. Once and a while he would chuckle to himself or offer a phrase to the mule, who would snort and shake his head.

The sun shone off his white hair as he flicked a piece out of his brown eyes, squinting against the glare of the afternoon sun. He sighed irritably and tapped his quill against the wood he used as a firm surface to write on.

"When the sun high in the sky did sit,  
With wheat waving in perfect peace;  
Then came a weary traveler..."

Ryou stared at the lines of verse before uttering an angry sigh and scratching out his writing, the three lines joining the other crossed out verses. He tapped on his tablet again, looking between the mule's twitching ears, but not really seeing anything. He sighed and sat back up, biting his lip before plunging back into his verse.

"The sun doth shine  
While dark descends,  
And what once was mine  
Is now shared among friends..."

The white haired man beamed, looked back up and stroking the mule's neck. "What do you think about that?"

The mule gave a snort, Ryou smirking and turning back to his work. The mule decided that he wanted to stop, making the poet's quill scratch across the parchment in a bold line, partially obliterating the only progress he had made that day.

Ryou frowned, tucking his quill behind his ear and picking up the reins, shifting so his tablet was balanced over his knees. He gave the mule a dainty kick, slumping when the creature lowered his head and gave a shake, Ryou lunging for his tablet as it threatened to fall off the mule. He glared at the animal, kicking it repeatedly before letting out a loud groan of frustration. "Bakura, move your ass!"

There was silence for a moment, broken by the rustle of wheat as another man moved out of the shade of the stalks, walking up to the mule's head. He stroked the mule's forehead, looking up at Ryou with mischief in his russet eyes. "Tsk, poet, why do you speak about my fine steed like that? After all, I let you ride him while I walk."

Ryou groaned at the smile on Bakura's face, hating the good mood that the thief was in. "You shoved me up here this morning saying that I was slowing you down."

"Yes. I did and you were. You had to stop and scribble your tripe and then rush to catch up. I'll never reach the boarders of this kingdom at this pace." Bakura turned his attention back to the mule, giving a soft cluck and pulling on the reins. The mule obliged immediately, moving forward at a good pace, much faster than its original speed. The thief gave the creature a pat before moving back to walk at the poet's knee.

"I will never understand why you are in such a rush to leave this place. Your livelihood depends on taking money from people, does it not? So why rush through a country and not even try to make money."

"Poets can't see anything that was not created by their imaginations, can they Thoth?" The words were addressed to the mule, who nodded his head almost in agreement. Bakura responded with a laugh and a smack on the mule's shoulder, the animal simply grunting, used to the thief's moods. Bakura turned around to walk backwards, looking and Ryou. "Can you not see, _poet_, that this land is starving? What good would it be to squeeze juice from a stone?"

"And I thought you didn't have a heart?" Ryou smirked at the look that crossed the thief's eyes. Bakura turned back around, walking to Thoth's head. The poet winced, knowing that he had offended the thief, still learning the mood swings that affected his companion.

"There is still a code of honor that we observe. We refuse to take from those that have nothing because we remember the time when we were like them. I don't see the nobles holding to their code of chivalry."

Ryou sighed, reaching forward to touch Bakura's shoulder only to draw his hand back as the thief rolled his shoulder away. The poet lowered his eyes to the writing in front of him. He knew that everything that Bakura said was true, but it still hurt every time the thief pointed it out to him. Ryou absently reached for the quill that was behind his ear, going for the one way that he kept the pain from overwhelming him. He set the tip of his quill on the paper, pondering words for a moment before reaching over to dip the tip in the ink pot he had tucked in a pocket.

"Such sorrow clouds what once was bright,  
And still we flawed beings walk on,  
'Gainst the eternal night..."

"Ryou." The poet looked up as Bakura looked over at him, the thief sighing and running his hand through his hair. "It's no fun when you're sulking."

The poet smiled and stuck his quill behind his ear again, getting a black streak in his hair. He leaned forward, smiling at the thief. "It's no fun when you are being serious. You should laugh more."

Bakura flashed a cocky smile at Ryou, rolling his eyes back to the front. "When there is a reason, I will laugh. Your poetry, for example. Now there's a good reason to laugh."

Ryou fell into their usual mode of existence. The easy banter would last until they met another person, when Bakura would close up again. Until then, the poet would enjoy this interaction. "You enjoyed it very much last night."

The thief gave a wide grin, the grin that said Ryou was going to lose this round. "Oh yes, because it was interrupted by your lovely screams."

The poet blushed, looking away as Bakura brought memories of the past few nights up. He had never thought he would end up in a relationship like this, not really quite sure how it had started. Ryou remembered having his purse cut from his belt, realizing this and chasing after the thief. He had managed to keep up, only to find himself against a wall being thoroughly kissed. And then he remembered waking up the next morning, wondering how he had gotten himself into this mess.

Not that he minded.

He was about to retort when screams came from the peasants behind them. Ryou turned on the mule, eyes widening as he saw the shadow move across the field. He reached for Thoth's mane as the mule bucked, calling out in fear as Bakura tried to calm him. They had a moment of calm before the dragon landed, long neck stretching back the way it came and roaring.

Ryou slipped off the mule's back, scrambling to stand beside Bakura as the dragon limped away, a lance dangling from under its foreleg, half of it broken roughly off. The poet peered out from behind the thief, eyes widening as he saw a knight on a dark brown horse come riding up, sword drawn. The knight looked down at them, dark eyes flashing with anger as he held his horse steady with one hand. "Where did it go?"

Ryou pointed since Bakura had his hands full with Thoth. The knight wheeled his horse without a word of thanks, urging the animal towards where the dragon was. Both of the men looked toward where the dragon had disappeared to, Ryou jumping as he heard a yell and then a roar.

Clumps of earth and dust flew into the air, obscuring what the knight was doing. Every once and a while, a scaled tail would rise, end separated into blades, before it fell back to the ground. Ryou caught a glimpse of the dragon's head rising above the dust, the sun glinting off the sickly yellow scales, before it slammed back down. The poet rushed forward, intending to get a better look for his own tales, when there was a human scream of pain.

The poet stumbled to a stop, one hand groping for Bakura's shoulder as he stumbled back. Horrible images rushed through his head, his imagination fueling them. He barely felt Bakura pat his shoulder, the thief hesitant about showing emotion in public. They both startled at a cough from the direction of the plume of dust, the shape of a human resolving itself from the cloud as the knight stumbled out of the dust, coughing and waving a hand in front of his face to clear the air in front of him.

The knight looked back, shrugging when he seemed to realize that his horse was missing, his attention suddenly grabbed by the approach of more horses and humans. Ryou felt the hand on his shoulder slip away, the only hint he had of Bakura moving away to hide again in the wheat. The thief was not taking any chances that his fame had spread, it was useless getting caught. The poet turned his head slightly, noticing the waving stalks that marked where Bakura had disappeared before looking back as the horses and their riders stopped by the knight.

"Well done, good sir." The noble gave a vapid smile, the expression slipping as he looked toward where the dust was just beginning to settle. "Is the beast truly dead? I have heard tales of intelligence in these creatures."

The knight held up a tooth, the noble relaxing at the visible evidence. The sharp tooth was lowered again as the knight held out his hand, raising an eyebrow. "Those tales are greatly exaggerated. These are beasts like the deer and the dog, nothing more. Now, about the payment..."

"This service has a price!" Ryou couldn't hold himself back any longer, eyes widening as he drew attention to himself. He hadn't meant to speak, but the slaughtering of his ideals right in front of him had been too much. He had always believed that knights fought and killed dragons for the honor and to keep people safe, not for money. The poet flinched as the noble smiled at him and the knight glared.

"This one raised a good point. Why not do it out of the kindness of your heart? Shouldn't you be satisfied with honor?"

"Kindness will not feed my belly or honor shoe my horse." The knight wiggled his fingers, turning his glare back to the noble. "These times are harsh as we are ruled by a harsh king."

"It is treason to talk of your king like that."

"He is not my king." The knight snarled the words out, one hand clenching around the tooth that he held. "I bend no knee to Gozaburo."

"Then you will get none of his coin. Leave, unworthy man, or you will lose your head." The noble spun his horse around, motioning for the peasants to keep working before looking down his nose to speak at the few that were closest to him. "Drag that carcass back to your village. It has enough meat to last you a while without coming to beg to me."

Ryou stared as the noble galloped off; leaving the knight to roll his eyes and continue along the road on his own. The poet gathered the reins of Thoth, considering his options. He could follow Bakura to wherever the thief went, continuing on his path of sin and pleasure. Or he could follow the knight and finally have someone to base his poetry off of. He tired of writing of the few nobles that graced this land, or the king that sat so far away on his throne. The poet nodded to himself before making to follow after the knight.

He was seized by Bakura as the thief emerged from his hiding place, his fingers digging into Ryou's arm. The poet didn't look back, giving his arm a faint jerk to try and get away. The thief scrambled closer, clutching Ryou back to his chest to keep him from moving; Thoth jerking his head up and sidling away. Ryou couldn't help but shiver as Bakura hissed into his ear. "What do you think you are doing?"

"This is my chance, Bakura! I can finally write an epic to end all epics. People will talk of me forever! This is the thing I have been looking for all my life!" Ryou struggled against the hold, trying to keep his eyes on the knight who was walking down the road. He was abruptly turned back around, Bakura glaring at him in a way that scared him and set his heart beating faster.

"You can run away now, but you'll regret it."

"What?" Ryou managed to get the word out before Bakura pulled him into a forceful kiss, bending Ryou backwards as he clawed at the other man. The poet managed to get a squeak out as Bakura came up for a quick breath before claiming Ryou lips again. Bakura broke the kiss, his lips still hovering over Ryou's as he spoke.

"But remember, you are mine."

The poet shivered, stepping away from the thief. Now he really didn't want to leave, not with everything that Bakura had promised with that one kiss. He shifted nervously, looking between the knight and his lover. The thief finally threw his hands up into the air before he snatched up Thoth's reins and began to pull the mule after the knight. Ryou remained in place, stunned by the sudden turn of events.

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, poet!" Bakura called back over his shoulder, making Ryou blush before the poet scrambled to catch up with the mule and its owner. The thief quickly wrapped an arm around Ryou's waist. "You're mine and I don't let what's mine wander off alone."

"But, your escape-"

"I'm the King of Thieves if your poetry and your screams are anything to go by." Ryou quickly looked away, cursing himself for the things that he said in the midst of passion. Bakura gave his waist a gentle squeeze before letting go and walking faster. "Now, catch up with your destiny before he escapes you."

Ryou nodded before running after the knight, only partially listening to Bakura complaining to his mule under his breath. "Sir Knight! Please wait!"

The knight turned at the summons, rolled his eyes, but slowed down enough for the two to catch up. Ryou fell into step with the knight, feeling Bakura's gaze on his back, almost daring the knight to make any move on Ryou, probably wanting to kill him with one of the knives that he held so dear. Ryou looked over his shoulder with a glare, that enough to calm Bakura down for the moment. When he turned back around, the knight was staring expectantly at him.

Ryou ducked his head, looking aside before drawing himself together to look at the knight. "While your motives are lackluster and appalling, I am fascinated by the life you chose and wish to chronicle your adventures."

"There is nothing to write about. Just a man trying to make a living."

"Please, I-"

"Mahad?" All three men came to a sudden stop at the sound of the voice, the knight moving first and rushing toward the sound. Ryou scowled and followed, not wanting to lose his chance. He sprinted after the knight, stumbling as he encountered rough parts of the road. He darted into the last row of wheat, stopping in shock as the knight spun around to face him, his sword drawn. A small teenager peeked out from around the knight's back, his purple eyes widening in fear as the two men approached them.

Ryou heard Bakura stumble up behind him, cursing the mule with what little voice he had left. The curses trailed off abruptly as the thief caught sight of the boy. He dropped the reins of his mule, not noticing that Thoth wandered to the side, reaching out to munch on the closest stalks. Bakura shoved Ryou aside to get a better look at the boy. "You're the prince aren't you? Or should I address you as king?"

The boy sighed and stepped out from behind Mahad, the motion making Ryou reconsider his initial impression of the prince. While he was short and still had a boyish face, the prince was not a boy. The young man carefully held the reins of Mahad's horse, the purple eyes narrowed into a glare at the thief, an expression that did not sit well on the prince's face.

Ryou himself was feeling stupid, not having noticed the particular hair that the prince had, something that could not be forgotten. His hair rose above his head in natural spikes, the ends tipped in red with the rest of the hair was black, except for the bangs that framed his face with their jagged lines, which were blonde. A few of these were shaken out of his eyes as the prince took another step forward.

"I am and no." The prince backed off a step as Mahad threw out an arm to block him from moving any further. The knight was pointing his sword at Bakura, obviously torn between running the thief through or snatching the prince off his feet and carrying him away. The knight finally shoved his sword back into his scabbard with a grunt of disdain, pointing angrily at Ryou as he turned to mount his horse.

"You will get your wish. If you fall behind, you will be left behind."

Ryou swallowed nervously, walking over to where Thoth was eating happily, snatching the reins and clambering onto the mule's back. Bakura took up his customary place by Thoth's head, the thief glaring daggers at the knight's back for threatening them. The poet was surprised when the prince gave them an apologetic glance before disappearing into the stalks of wheat. Ryou urged the mule after the knight, his head jerking to the side as he heard the sound of a trotting horse as the prince rode up on his palomino.

The four headed away from the field, Mahad leading them into the forest of pines. Ryou shivered as they entered the dark forest, his mind already racing as he created verses in his head.

* * *

Atem let his eyes fall shut, stretching out in the sun as he tried to soothe his stomach. The knight who had been foolish enough to challenge him this time was three miles away from his home under the waterfall, his remains half digested. The dragon groaned, pressing head against the ground as what little meat he had eaten that day attempted to come back up. It was always like this on days that knights came after him. He would end up having to snatch them up in his mouth and bite down, no matter how much he tried to avoid it, the events turned out the same. His temper would get away from him and he would come back to himself, feeling the human slide down his throat. Then, Atem would rush a good distance from his home before throwing up the remains. And then his stomach wouldn't settle for what seemed like forever.

The dragon raised his head, feeling too sick even to enjoy this extended warm weather. It meant that he could live for a little while longer off what the land had to give him before resorting to stealing from the people or flying away to hunt. The only good thing about the cold weather was it meant that the knights stopped coming to challenge him, which gave him time to recover.

He stood up shakily, making his way over to the water before swallowing down a few mouthfuls, shuddering at the motion. It was bad if he was reacting like this. He had lost almost all the weight he had put on during the months when the knights were still busy with their repairs. He was more skin and bones than fat, which would be troublesome in the winter. And it was getting worse as the years went on.

Atem turned his head to look in the direction of the castle, red eyes narrowing as the caught sight of the sad grey building. The one on the hill opposite where his uncle once lived was nearly complete, which meant that the king would spend the winter there. His chance to strike and free his father was then, in the confusion of moving a whole household.

He groaned as his stomach rolled again, the motion making him rear up and clutch his belly against the pain. At least it would pass, eventually. Or, at least until the next knight came. Atem gave a low growl, stopping when the sound hurt his already complaining stomach, head dropping as he clenched his teeth against the pain.

The dragon searched out a good spot in the sun, hoping that inactivity would settle his stomach, as it had the other times. Atem curled up as best he could, positioning himself toward the entrance to his home so that no other knight could surprise him. As he did this, he pleaded to the souls of the dragons who had come before him that no others would come. He didn't want to continue doing this, not when everything he did disgusted him. Not when he was the last dragon he knew of that even dared to still live in the valley. He rolled his shoulder slightly, automatically shifting it to a position that would not hurt it, especially with the arrowhead embedded out of his reach. Atem sighed and let his eyes shut, exhaustion pulling at him.

* * *

"He called me a what?" Seto leaned back against the wall, shaking his head as Kisara fell back upon their bed, laughing hysterically. He rested his chin on his chest, waiting for the woman to calm down, all the while smirking to himself. It had been a wonderful four years, if he could bring himself to forget about the peasants and the disappearance of his cousin. At times he almost could, with Kisara there to comfort him and draw him out of the protective walls he had built around himself.

He moved from his place by the wall, scooping up the woman so he could hold her, and pulled her close. Kisara seemed to understand because she calmed her laughter and returned the embrace, tucking her head into his chest. Absently, Seto ran his hands over her back while staring at the wall.

This wasn't like him at all, but he couldn't find the strength to change it. He had been drawn to this woman since she decided to help him, her manner refreshing compared to all the other woman that fawned over him. But that shouldn't have been enough to make him move so quickly. And, when the haze from sex had cleared, all he could think about was keeping this woman close and never letting go. The thought should have scared him, even when he thought back on it now. Instead, the feeling was just stronger.

Kisara was the only one who could see through him, a quality that he had never thought he would like or need. From her, he craved it, partially wanting to be called out for his tendency to close himself off. She was the one who treated him like a human instead of his title, the only one who would openly disrespect him just to get a laugh or a flash of emotion. Kisara reminded him that he was human after a long day of acting like ice.

She shifted in his hold, the motion drawing him back to the present. The woman reached up and ran her fingers over his cheek, staring into his dark blue eyes. Seto let her, watching what her eyes did as she read him. At first, there was confusion, then worry and then, finally, they cleared. She raised her other hand, holding his face in one place, afraid that he would look away, as she spoke. "Yugi is alright, Seto. He has Mahad with him. He'll come back when he's ready."

Kisara had hit on the other thing that continued to bother him. His cousin's disappearance, while a god send, was beginning to wear on him. Seto had been used to knowing where Yugi was exactly, or been able to guess. But now, he had no idea where the younger man was. He had lost the rest of his family four years ago, and it troubled him still. There were times, when he was exhausted from following his father around and playing the dutiful son, that he would think he heard Yugi's voice in the castle. Those were the nights that he would run to Kisara and simply hold her close.

He must have made a sound while he was lost in thought, because Kisara was stroking his head and gently dropping kisses over his face. Seto let her carry on, surprised when the hug shifted so she was cuddling him close; an honor that had always gone to him. When Seto tried to struggle back into the dominant position, Kisara held him tight. "Just relax, Seto. It will be alright. We'll get to Yugi before your father does, and this nightmare will end."

Seto nodded before pushing away, watching as Kisara absently ran a hand through her white hair. She confused him often, a constant enigma. There were times she would act flighty in his presence, just joking around and encouraging him to let go. But her eyes were often serious past the surface, deep and calculating. And Seto could never figure her out completely. She acted older than her age, sometimes to a point that frightened him. Although he would never admit it.

He reached for her, drawing her into a standing hug before beginning to kiss his way up her neck. She tipped her head back to give him the freedom to do whatever he wanted, her blue eyes sparkling with laughter. Seto backed her up, lowering her gently to the mattress before laying himself over her. She broke the kiss for a moment to smirk up at him. "If this is the way you treat your maids, I would love to know how you treat really ladies."

Seto accepted the challenge, thankful that she was offering him a way out of his worry. A way to just forget for a few minutes. He smirked back at her, watching as her own expression wavered. "I'll show you then."

* * *

Yugi sat on the far side of the fire, gently turning the stick in the coals, every once and a while poking a few away from the center of the fire. He could hear Mahad setting up their camp, arguing with one of the men who had accompanied them. Mahad was obviously unhappy with the arrangement, but Yugi was glad for the company. The knight had changed so much over the time they had been wandering.

Mahad was sullen more often, driven by the need to kill any dragon he came across. And his instructor had never been like that before. Yugi sighed, removing another likely coal before pushing another one further in. He thought it had to do with the sudden removal of everything Mahad held dear. The knight still stuck to his code, but it was a tenuous hold. One that Yugi knew would break if something threatened him.

He looked up as the poet walked over to his side of the fire, the motion making him glance up at the other man as he glared at Mahad. The two men passed each other, finding their prepared sleeping spots apart from each other before curling up into their cloaks. Yugi sighed as the tension disappeared, smiling at the poet as he glanced away from Bakura with a blush on his face. Finally, Ryou sat down, staring at Yugi's actions. "What are you doing?"

Yugi considered his coal, tentatively reaching out to touch it. He decided it was cool enough to handle, the calluses on his hands protecting him. He gave a wistful smile. There was a time when he had been soft, a true noble. Now it seemed like there was nothing of that softness left. He had been kicked out of his childhood as he stood waiting for Mahad in the rain.

He reached behind him for the piece of bark he had peeled off a birch tree, turning it in his hands before picking up the coal and beginning to sketch lines on it. He felt the poet lean over, looking over his shoulder to see what he was doing. Yugi smiled and shifted so that Ryou would have a better view before turning back to his work, ignoring the ashes that were getting on his hand, eyes glazing over as he recalled the dragon that Mahad and slain that day.

A few long strokes created the back and the tail of the dragon, the wings sketched above the shoulders and spread in preparation for flight. The hind legs were drawn next, bunched as they prepared to throw the dragon into the air. Yugi drew in the forelegs, already folded up to the chest. A long sinuous neck was joined to the shoulder, leading up to the rounded head, bare of any spikes since they had long broken off. Yugi leaned closer to his drawing to draw the eye, frowning as it turned out to be staring up into the sky, a blank look in it. He shook his head and quickly went back over his lines before adding shading and details.

A whistle from the poet behind him drew his attention back to the present. Yugi responded to the whistle with a blush, shaking his head. "It's not really that good."

"Looks good to me."

"It's just something I do." Yugi stared at the sketch, carefully placing it to the side and wiping off his hands. He turned to the pack he had sat behind him, opening it to take out the stack of other pieces of bark. There were eleven in total, this new dragon making twelve. Yugi placed a blank strip of bark over his newest drawing and added it to the pile, resting his hand on top of it with a sigh.

"Are those all pictures of the dragons that Sir. Mahad has killed?"

"Yes." The response came after a brief hesitation, the way Ryou's eyes seemed to sparkle throwing him off. The poet leaned back and shook his head, glancing back over to the knight.

"Twelve dragons in four years, that's nearly three a year. A great feat!"

Yugi paused in putting the pictures back into the pack, one hand clenching in the fabric as he forced himself to answer. "I guess it is."

"Guess? Gozaburo's knights can barely kill one a year, and those knights are becoming fewer as they try to slay this one dragon." Ryou settled back on his hands, smiling up at the stars as he continued to talk, oblivious to Yugi's discomfort. "They say this beast is fiercer than any other dragon; his scales as dark as sin and as red as blood. Some knights have returned from battling this beast and they never again leave the castle to face another dragon. He is a true prize to be captured. Have you heard of this dragon, prince?"

Yugi finished tying the pack shut, brushing his hand down the front as he closed his eyes with a sigh. He would never know why Mahad decided to go on this killing spree. It had been perfectly calm travel, just trying to get Yugi away from Gozaburo. And then, instead of gathering up allies to return to reclaim his kingdom, Mahad had started searching for dragons. Yugi agreed that it brought in a fair amount of money that they needed, but he still wasn't sure that it was the right thing to do.

The one time he had confronted Mahad on this, the knight had just remained silent. And the silence had stretched between them for days, leaving Yugi alone. He didn't want to repeat the experience, so he had let the subject drop and allowed Mahad to carry on with his work. But Yugi now didn't temper the hurt in his eyes when Mahad came back with another dragon's tooth to fix onto his shield or limped away from a kill, leaving Yugi to pet the dead dragon's muzzle and apologize.

While Mahad wiped them from the face of the earth and collected their teeth, Yugi immortalized them in his drawing and memories. To him, they were amazing creatures, filled with a strange grace when in flight. He had seen them in fear and anger, and they never ceased to amaze him. And Mahad could never see that, the knight never saw past the beast and to the intelligence that lurked behind their eyes.

He startled when he realized that Ryou was still waiting for his answer. Yugi opened his eyes and stared into the fire, staring at the abstract shapes that were slowly dying as the fire burned low. "I've heard so many stories about dragons like you describe that they all run together. There's a tale like that everywhere we stop."

"They say that this beast is the last one in this kingdom, all the others have fled." Yugi swallowed harshly at that, biting the inside of his lip to keep the tears from falling. He always got more emotional after Mahad killed a dragon, almost hating his protector for what he was doing. His posture stiffened, trying to block the enthusiastic poet out as he rambled on. "So it would be quite the prize. And, finally we could have peace. Well…peace enough with a tyrant in place."

Ryou stood up with a stretch, looking longingly at Bakura before shaking his head. "I'm off to bed. New adventures tomorrow. Goodnight, prince."

Yugi raised a hand in farewell, not even watching the white haired man make his way over to Bakura and snatch half of the blanket away before cuddling up to the thief. He stared at the fire for a moment more before abruptly standing up and grabbing his sword. Yugi stomped to the edges of camp, pulling the blade out of the scabbard and beginning to go through some drills on his own; as it had been since Mahad had started to hunt dragons. As he worked, Yugi muttered the code that Mahad had drilled into his head.

"Inside the table's circle, under the sacred sword, a knight must vow to follow, a code that is unending; unending as the table-a ring by honor bound." Yugi lunged forward at the last word, twisting to parry an invisible strike to his head before sweeping his sword low. He snapped it back up to guard position, eyes flicking to the right as he began to speak again, the ends of his sentences coinciding with strikes and parries.

"A knight is sworn to valor." Yugi ducked, rolling one shoulder to swing around, his sword's edge slashing into an invisible opponent's stomach.

"His heart knows only virtue." A block with his sword held behind his back before the blade was swept back around.

"His bade defends the helpless." The sword winked in the dull moonlight, as Yugi brought it back to guard, shifting it slightly more to the right.

"His might uphold the weak." Yugi shifted, bending he knees more before he lunged forward, one hand dropping from the hilt of the sword, clenching like he held a shield, to block his side.

"His word speaks only truth." The hand with the invisible shield dropped back to the sword as Yugi recovered forward, shifting to block a low attack.

"His wrath undoes the wicked." He flicked his blade up, raising it over his head before burying the tip in the ground.

"The right can never die if one man stands and still recalls. These words are not forgot if one voice speaks them clear. The code forever shines if one heart holds in bright." Yugi fell to his knees behind his sword, one hand still resting on the hilt as the other arm rested on the guard at the base of the pommel, allowing Yugi to drop to rest his head on it, shoulders shaking as he sobbed.

* * *

Kisara cautiously pried herself from Seto's grasp, placing a kiss on his forehead when the man moaned in his sleep. She smiled at Seto before wrapping a robe around her body and walking outside. She was careful to stay in the shadows, aware that Gozaburo and his knights were still up, probably finalizing the plans to move to their new castle. The king was impatient to get away from this castle, probably because it reminded him of everyone that he had killed to get to this point. She shivered and clutched the robe closer to her, moving out to the far corner of the courtyard where the dragon was kept. For a moment, she couldn't see Akhnamkanon in the shadows, mourning the loss of her keener sight. The dragon shifted, brown eyes opening slowly as he became aware of the woman who was standing before him. Akhnamkanon stared at her, head tipping to the side as he let out a sigh. "You are…but you smell like a dragon."

She didn't dare try to free him, not willing to risk her life with Seto for the dragon. Kisara shook her head, white hair drifting down to cover her eyes as she shuffled closer. At least she could give him comfort. "Akhnamkanon."

The dragon started at his name, head raising a bit, chains rattling with the move. "How do you know my name, human?" He paused, eyes fluttering closed as he took a deep breath. The dragon let out a small grumble as he opened his eyes. "Kisara."

"Yes." She walked up to place her hand on his muzzle, tears forming in her eyes before she rubbed them away. "It's me."

"But I thought…" His eyes moved to stare at the wall. "I heard them all scream as they die, and I never know who it is. My son could been dead five times over for all I know. Have you had any news?"

"None. I'm as stuck here as you are."

Akhnamkanon frowned. "But, surely this is a dream. You shouldn't be stuck here with me."

"It's no dream, Akhnamkanon. You are still stuck here. But I am really here." Kisara took a step back as the dragon hissed, moving his own body back to avoid her touch. She watched as he snapped at her, the threat obvious as he began to speak again.

"Why have you done this, Kisara? Why did you become a human?"

"I…I wanted to."

"Did you do this to save your own hide while my son is still out there?"

"No! No!" Kisara swayed in place, the glare that Akhnamkanon was directing at her keeping her in place. "I did this before you were captured. Atem watched over me and helped me get here. And I'm happy here. I _belong_ here."

"You belong with your kind, Kisara! Not among the humans."

"I am loved here."

"It's false. All of these humans are false."

Kisara wrapped her arms around herself, closing her eyes. Akhnamkanon had changed since she had last spoken to him, becoming more like his brother. And she should have seen that he would change instead of holding onto the hope that he would be there for her, the one who could understand the whole of her instead of just appreciating everything she was as a human. She had given up being a dragon, as she should accept that. Give up everything that went with being a dragon and resign herself to being a human.

And Seto was enough for her to make that choice.

She looked up at the black dragon, noticing that Akhnamkanon refused to meet her gaze. She gathered the robe around her again, turning around to speak over her shoulder at him. "Seto is not. I will stand by him and try to help you."

Kisara walked away with her head held high before Akhnamkanon could retort. She kept the façade until she walked into the castle. She then broke into a run, suddenly needed Seto by her. Kisara ducked into the servant's staircase, avoiding Gozaburo and his knights. She ran up into the hallway, spotting Seto's room a few steps away and she gratefully rushed toward the door, slipping in and jumping back into bed with him.

The motion woke up the man, Seto opening one eye sleepily before opening her robe to rest his hands against her skin. He pulled back a moment, now fully awake as he stared at her. "You were outside."

"I can't go back." Kisara wrapped herself around Seto, ignoring the shocked look he shot her. "I can never go back."

Seto lowered them both down, using one hand to draw the covers back up before he held her. Kisara sobbed into his shoulder, not even hearing the awkward words of comfort that Seto whispered to her.


	4. Slaying the Beast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own parts of the plot.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own parts of the plot.

**Warning:** implied rape

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**Chapter Four: Slaying the Beast**

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_The king's death knell didst toll;  
When the prince was swallowed whole._   
**

Atem crawled out of his cave, shaking the water off him as he stumbled to the shore. His stomach still didn't feel right, but it was recovered enough for him to go hunting later. Hopefully he would be able to keep food down this time. He clambered up onto the bank, feeling his limbs shake. Atem shook his head mournfully, finding a good place to stretch out in the sun, closing his eyes and letting his breathing slow until he was almost slipping into a torpor.

His body told him that he needed this, an extended time out in the sun to counteract the way his stomach rebelled, hopefully warming him enough to find some food. His head told him that he was taking a stupid chance. A knight could come along at any moment and try to slay him. But he hoped that the disappearance of the last knight would be enough to deter them for a while.

The sounds of hooves scraping on the rocks made Atem open his eyes. A deer was picking its way down to the water, obviously ignoring him. There was only one reason for that type of behavior; the deer thought he was dead. Atem resisted the urge to growl at the creature. Did he really look so bad that it was easily assumed that he was dead? It shouldn't have mattered to him, but the thought rubbed against his already raw nerves.

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind, sliding his eyes partially shut as he waited for the deer to move closer, wanting to waste as little energy as possible. Atem saw the deer pause when it finally got a good look at him, nostrils flaring as it seemed to realize its mistake. The dragon leapt from the ground, pinning the deer to the ground with one hand as he spread his wings out to cover his kill. It was a useless gesture, there would be no other dragons to try and take his kill away from him. Atem snarled and ripped a chunk of meat from the dead deer, blood splattering onto his claws as he hastily consumed the mammal, not pausing long enough to think. His stomach might rebel against this meal if he even thought back to the knight. Atem grumbled deep in his throat as he tossed another bloody chunk of meat down his throat.

All too soon, the deer was pelt and bones. Atem walked over to the river, standing in the middle of the current as he watched the blood was from his claws, dipping his head in to clean the blood from his muzzle. He raised his head, eyes widening as he heard the sound of people moving through the forest. The tip of his tail twitched nervously as he searched for them, and found them already too close.

Four humans, three mounted and one on foot, walked through the forest, heading for the trail that led them down to the river. None of them had noticed him, their attention fixed on the white haired man who was seated on the mule and was distracting them. Atem found himself holding his breath until they had disappeared around a bend, the move taking them from the edge of the forest. He had a few minutes before they had another chance to see him.

He turned his head, his heart beating faster as he saw that one of the humans had stopped and was staring at him. Atem found he incapable of thought for a moment, claws flexing in the river bed as the human continued to stare at him. It would end here. The humans would come after him and he would have to fight all four of them off. Today, he didn't want to; it was his first day feeling nearly normal in weeks. Any move made toward that one human would be noticed by the rest. But, maybe, if he was quick enough…

Atem crouched; ready to spring from the river and kill the human when he stopped, noticing the human's frantic look toward where the rest of his companions had disappeared. He opened his wings, ready to fly still when faint memories tickled at the back of his mind. Why would this human look familiar? He had never met a human that he bothered to remember, they were all trying to kill him.

He stood up straight as the human mouthed something and pointed frantically back upstream. Atem looked at the waterfall and then back at the human. The motion was repeated before the human made a dismissing motion, the message finally sinking into Atem's confused mind. This human was giving him the chance to escape, a strange action for ones obviously searching for dragons to kill. Maybe this one was just giving him false hope. Atem lowered his head with a growl, taking a step toward the human. He couldn't take this chance.

"Yugi!" Atem froze at the familiar name, watching as the human turned in the saddle and shouted back down the path, "I'm coming! Give me a moment!"

Yugi turned back around and motioned for Atem to escape again before urging his horse down the path. Confused, the dragon folded his wings along his back before shaking his head. He wasn't quite sure if he could trust the human, but he would have a better chance if he remained quiet. Atem began moving upstream, rushing as he heard the sound of horses getting closer. He shoved himself under the waterfall, wincing when he heard a cry from one of the riders.

He spun around, drawing the tip of his tail into the cave, backing toward the back and looking around at the collection of equine armor that he had. He sought a piece out with his claws, already feeling fire licking at the back of his throat as he called up his other weapon. If he was lucky, they would just leave. But he was ready to fight.

* * *

Mahad leapt from his horse, bending his knees to cushion his landing as he splashed into the river, yanking his sword from where it was secured on the saddle. As he reached up for his shield, careful to avoid the twelve teeth that were set along the edge, he noticed that the poet and Yugi had followed him. He scowled and led his horse over to the bank, giving it a light slap on its rump to send it over to Yugi. "All of you get out of here. That thief knows best, stay hidden."

"But…how else am I going to get this moment if I do not witness it?" The poet pouted until Bakura emerged from the trees, grabbing the reins of the mule and beginning to lead the creature back into the cover of the trees.

"I'm sure you'll live Ryou. I, for one, don't want Thoth to be eaten."

Ryou scowled at Bakura before slipping from the back of the mule, turning and crossing his arms to glare at the thief. "I want to see at least one dragon slaying."

"It's not as great as you think it is." Bakura reached out to yank the poet back only to have the man evade his grip. The thief rolled his eyes and began leading the mule back into the trees. "Have it your way, just remember that you are the one who cannot stomach me killing a rabbit."

Mahad rolled his eyes at the banter, staring at Yugi until the young man looked up, the usual life to his purple eyes suddenly gone. The knight felt slightly worried by this change in his charge, but brushed it off quickly. There was a dragon to kill. And this one had to be the one who had shared his heart with Gozaburo, so then the false king would finally fall. He motioned for Yugi to take the horses back as he turned to walk upstream.

"Do you really have to kill it?" Mahad stiffened at the question that Yugi asked him, turning around to look at the young man. Yugi must have seen the answer in Mahad's eyes, looking away and beginning to back the horses away. "What reason is there?"

"Do you want your kingdom back?" The knight turned and waded upstream, not seeing the shocked look on Yugi's face. He did hear the sounds of the poet scrambling over the stones that littered the banks, muttering verses to himself. Mahad rolled his eyes and pushed on, his eyes fixed on the sheet of water that fell. The dragon was somewhere behind there. Mahad shifted into a crouch, tightening his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Come out dragon, and we can finish this quickly."

There was a loud growl that could have been mistaken for the sound of the waterfall. "I have no desire to be slaughtered, knight. I enjoy my life well enough."

"Well enough to ruin a whole country. You and your rotten heart!"

A roar echoed from the cave, accompanied by a piece of armor that clattered onto the shore, silencing the poet as he clambered over the rocks. Ryou squeaked and dove for cover, peeking out from behind a rock. Mahad glanced over at Yugi, eyes narrowing as he noticed that the young man hadn't drawn his sword. Yugi was supposed to be the back up incase Mahad's first assault failed. He shook his head, wondering what had gotten to the youth.

"Want to accuse me of something else, knight? Or would you slay me with your false words instead of that sword?" Mahad walked into the waterfall, raising his shield to block the flow of water from pummeling him to his knees. He squinted into the sudden darkness of the cave behind the waterfall, feeling something nudge against his leg before he had to duck to avoid a blast of fire.

Mahad stared at the fire that flickered along the surface of the water for a moment before it was put out, wondering if he had ever seen a dragon breathe fire in such a dark color. He shook his head and stood up. "It's a little damp for fire."

There was a snarl from the dragon, the water sloshing as the creature moved. Mahad inched out from behind his shield, getting a glimpse of the dragon's shadow in the darkness. A smile touched the corner of his mouth. He recognized this dragon, it had to be the one from that night. All his problems would be solved in one fell swoop. Mahad lunged forward just as the dragon did, cursing as he felt the breeze from the dragon's flight as it leapt over him.

The knight rushed from the cave, running over to where Yugi held the horses. He didn't look at his young charge as he fumbled in the saddle backs before pulling out a rope. Mahad looked up, watching as the dragon flapped to gain height above the river, water still dripping from its wings. Mahad took the chance and threw the rope, tugging back as the loop at the end landed around on of the dragon's hind feet. The dragon turned with a snarl, the light catching on its scales and making some of them seem red.

Mahad scowled as he released the rope, letting it play out until the small log at the end freed itself from the saddlebag, dangling below the dragon as it flew off, probably thinking that it was safe. Mahad threw himself back onto his horse, jerking the reins out of Yugi's hands before sending his horse after the dragon. There was hesitation before the sound of more hoof beats sounded behind him, which meant that Yugi was following him.

He was tempted to tell Yugi to go back, but he had bigger things to worry about. Like the dragon, who had realized that something had been attached to him. Mahad watched with a detached sense of awe and the dragon nearly flipped itself over, front claws scrambling at the rope that ensnared his hind foot. Most dragons when trapped like this tried to bite the rope off while in normal flight, the instinct to flee too much for them.

The dragon didn't have much time to mess with the rope, because the log stuck in the junction of two trees in the forest, the sudden pull sending the dragon to the ground. Mahad gave a breathy cheer before urging his horse on, hauling on the reins to get the animal to stop as he dropped to the ground, his sword still in his head.

In front of him, the dragon writhed on the ground, snapping at the rope that had tangled around a fallen log as well. It growled, eyes moving from the rope to stare at Mahad. The knight froze at the hatred in those crimson eyes. He didn't remember the dragon having red eyes or red scales before, but it could have changed over the years. Mahad shook his head, clearing himself of his worried before striding forest.

The dragon, which had previously been watching him from his stomach stood up, tail lashing. He titled his head so he could look at Mahad, his teeth bared. "What now knight? Will you take a prize from me like you did those others? Will my hide bring you any more money?"

"While the money helps, this is more about the pleasure."

The dragon snorted, red eyes darkening in anger. "You are one of those knights who enjoy the pleadings of their victims. I will tell you now, that I will never plead for my life."

"I don't expect you to." Mahad lunged forward, the move turning into a block as the dragon swung its claws at him, hissing at the motion. The knight nimbly stepped backward, eyes widening as he saw a break in the pattern of scales. He aimed for the shoulder, pressing the point of his blade into the disturbance of the pattern. The dragon reared back on its hind legs, roaring in back before it breathed fire, the flames flickering around Mahad as he retreated; shield rising to shield his face.

In doing so, he missed the dragon's smirk and the rope that he straddled. The dragon dropped back to the ground, raising the leg that had the rope attached. Mahad yelped as the rope whipped up, catching him in the groin before he was thrown to one side, landing on the ground and curling into a fetal position. He groaned, raising one hand to grope for his sword, only to find it was not within reach.

Mahad looked up quickly, seeing the glint of the blade in the dirt. He rolled onto his stomach, ready to crawl to the sword, when he felt pressure on his back. Mahad turned his head to see that the dragon was staring down at him, a hand pressing him to the ground. The knight struggled under the weight, gasping as the dragon pushed down and forced some of the air out of him. He coughed weakly and continued to stare at the dragon, feeling his stomach twist in fear as the beast chuckled. "Now, sir knight, let's hear you beg for mercy."

"Don't hurt him!" The dragon turned his head around with a snarl, the distraction allowing Mahad to push up on his forearms. The knight's dark eyes widened in horror as he saw Yugi rushing over, without a sword. The dragon shifted, switching the hand that held Mahad down quickly to keep the knight in place. He snarled at Yugi, lowering his head to breathe fire in the direction of the boy. Yugi stopped in his tracks, the flames falling just short of him as the dragon pulled back.

"Why shouldn't I? As soon as I let him go, he'll kill me."

Yugi nodded and looked down at his hands, playing with his fingers for a moment before looking up at the dragon. "I understand that. But I can't you kill him."

"This one has killed others."

"I know!" Mahad shifted to get a better view of Yugi, mouth opening in horror as the youth tipped his head up to look at the dragon that loomed above him. "And he has never told me why, but I know that it wasn't their fault. And, every time, I have tried to stop him. So it is my failure and not him that killed all those dragons."

There were holes in Yugi's logic, Mahad could see that. He just wasn't sure that the dragon saw through the young man's bluff. Yugi was probably just trying to lull the dragon into a false sense of security so that Mahad go get his sword. The knight tried to wriggle out of the hold that the dragon had on him, stopping when he saw the head turn to look at him with a low growl, red eyes never leaving Yugi for more than a few seconds. "So, it is _your_ fault that they are all dead?"

Yugi took a deep breath. "Yes."

The dragon roared, moving so he stepped away from Mahad. The knight shot to his feet, dashing over to get his sword and rolling onto the ground to snatch at the hilt and come up with it on guard, a smile on his face. He had bested the dragon easily. Mahad pushed off the ground, looking up as he raised his sword and came to an abrupt stop. The dragon had let him go, but it had chosen to go after Yugi, and it was faster than Mahad had thought.

Yugi was completely caged in by the dragon's mouth, the dragon poised above the young man. Mahad could see him as the dragon shifted, drawing his head back a bit so that his muzzle was no longer touching the ground. The dragon rolled his eyes to look at Mahad, moving his jaws as little as possible as he spoke. "You move without my permission and I will kill him."

"Yugi!"

"Listen to him." Mahad expected Yugi to panic, knowing that if he was in Yugi's place, he would already have been begging for mercy. The knight looked at the dragon before dropping his sword to the ground, bowing his head as he waited for the verdict of the dragon.

The dragon nodded, seeming to have forgotten that he held Yugi captive. Mahad tensed as he heard Yugi yelp in surprise as some of the dragon's teeth pressed against his back with the motion. The knight was tempted to go for his sword again, but stopped, just swaying in place as the dragon noticed the motion and closed his jaws a bit more. Mahad took one look at the prince, who was shaking a bit as he stood trapped, before throwing his hands up in the air. "What do you want?"

"A truce, knight." The teeth rubbed against Yugi again, drawing a shiver from the young man. Mahad glanced up at the dragon before stepping forward. "You and I have similar interests; like getting rid of that false king who sits on the throne."

"He can't be killed. I have to break your control over him with your death." Mahad wavered, dropping his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at Yugi. "And I can't allow you to live. I'm sorry Yugi."

"So be it, but know that my death would not have solved your problems." Mahad's eyes snapped up as the dragon pressed its muzzle back to the ground, teeth closing around Yugi before it raised its head. The dragon gave a low growl as it kept its mouth closed at tipped its head back.

"Yugi!" Mahad stumbled forward, forgetting about his mission to kill the dragon. He fell to his knees, feeling tears gather in his eyes. He had lost his charge, lost the person who had depended on him. And all because he had been unable to get rid of his grudge. The knight trembled, looking up at the dragon.

The creature stopped with its head held at an awkward angle, red eyes suddenly wide and frightened. Mahad saw the dragon's throat work as it tried to swallow. A tremble ran over the dragon before it quickly dropped its head, fixing Mahad with a stare. The knight smothered another cry of distress. Yugi was gone now; it was the least he could do to agree to the terms. He nodded slowly, hating himself for allowing this to happen. "We will work together to defeat Gozaburo."

Mahad watched as the dragon lowered its head, turning it slightly to stare at Mahad before giving a nod of his own. The knight was about to turn away when he noticed an odd ripple in the muscles of the dragon's throat, almost like the creature was trying to keep itself from throwing up. It shifted, mouth seeming to work for a moment before it tipped its muzzle down, opening its mouth and allowing Yugi to fall onto the ground.

The knight rushed to his charge, turning Yugi over to check for any damage. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the Yugi was still breathing, resting a hand on the prince's shoulder before turning to look at the dragon. Surprisingly the creature had backed away from the sword, whole body trembling as it stared off into the distance. Mahad quickly forgot about the dragon as Yugi coughed and sat up, wiping saliva off his face with a disgusted look. The knight gave a chuckle and pulled Yugi into a hug, suppressing his sobs.

He heard the dragon shift behind him, walking back over but still looking shaky. Mahad was tempted to reach for his sword and finish off the creature for making him look like a fool. But Yugi's hand on his arm stopped him, the prince standing up and walking over to look at the dragon. The dragon couldn't seem to meet Yugi's gaze, turning his head away quickly to address the knight. "What is your plan?"

* * *

Joey looked up abruptly from the scant meal of molding bread and meat, watching as Tèa walked past, her arms folded across her chest as she paced. He was tempted to tell her to sit down and eat, but was cut off as one of the young children snatched away her portion, disappearing into the evening shadows. Joey shook his head, picking up one of the strips of meat and scowling at it.

Dragon's meat was not the best tasting, even when it had been roasted until it was nearly burnt. There was always an iron tang to the aftertaste and it was always nearly too hot to handle, especially after cooking. It was like the meat itself was trying to absorb as much heat as it could. And it was just vile to eat. Joey swallowed thickly before taking a bite of his meat, nearly gagging on it. It was vile stuff, but it was the only food they could get. Gozaburo prevented them from hunting by his demands for workers in his quarry, which left the women to tend to the gardens most of the time.

The blonde didn't blink as Tèa paced past again, shaking his head slightly as Tristan made a move to stand up and stop her. He waved his friend back down. Let the woman grieve as she wanted to, it would prevent any breakdowns in the future. And, as deaths went, that was one of the worst ones. It was easy to guess that Tèa would be blaming herself for even begging her case to Gozaburo. Joey, personally, respected that spunk, but would never openly say so.

It was better to be quiet now, no matter how much it annoyed him. His personality was just not right for remaining in silence and watching others suffer horribly. But he had to protect Serenity, and he would do anything for his sister.

Joey forced himself to swallow, wiping his hand on his pants before running it through his hair and leaning back. He cast a quick look at the imposing white castle that loomed over them, breathing a long sigh of relief. It was very close to being completed, meaning that the men might have time to bring in the harvest for the frost. If all worked out well, there could be a little more food in the village for the winter. Then it wouldn't be a repeat of last year, stepping over the frozen bodies that littered the paths as the men walked to the quarry.

He jumped out of his musings as Duke walked away from the warmth of the fire, obviously reacting to something that Tèa had said. Joey sat up abruptly, looking at Tristan and trying to decide what the brunette had said to upset his friend. Tristan was no help, just glaring up at Tèa. Joey tensed as the woman placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you think we should strike back against Gozaburo?"

Joey brushed Tèa's hand from his shoulder, shaking his head as he did so. "We tried that last time and we ended up with Gozaburo."

"Don't you even want to try?"

"Tèa," Joey leaned forward to look at the fire, making sure to keep Tèa in his line of vision, "I have to think about Serenity."

"Then you are a coward, just like the rest of them!"

"I would rather be a coward than a dead man!" Joey swallowed his pride as he said this, moving to gaze fully at the fire. There had been a time when he would have agreed with Tèa, if he had not seen a sword go into Gozaburo's side and the king come out of the encounter without a scratch. It was never smart to go up against a man who was immortal.

"Fine then!" Tèa turned and ran off, heading out of the village and toward the old castle. Joey stood up to follow her, only to be stopped by a shake of Tristan's head. A long look was exchanged between the two, Joey finally sitting down with a heavy sigh. You looked after yourself and your own, nobody else. Friendship was a strained thing now, almost not worth it in the end. It only meant that there were more people to care about.

"Where's Tèa, big brother?" Joey smiled as Serenity came over to sit by him, raising an arm so she could cuddle into his side.

"She's gone off for a while."

Serenity nodded and directed her blind gaze to the fire, reaching out a hand to feel the warmth that radiated from it. She seemed content to sit like that for a while, finally letting her hand drop back to rest by her side as she leaned into Joey. Mutely, he pushed the remains of his meal toward her, already having lost his appetite from having to allow himself to be labeled a coward. Serenity accepted the food without a protest, already knowing that any argument would end up with her losing.

"I feel sorry for it." Joey looked over to see what she was talking about, finding his sister holding up a piece of dragon meat. He and Tristan scoffed at the same time, the brunette man standing up and wandering away to get and much rest as he could. Joey watched his sister twist the meat in her hand before finally eating it, making a face as she swallowed. "I know we have no choice, but I still pity the dragon."

"Why? They are just pests."

"Really?" Serenity chewed thoughtfully for a minute, swallowing before she spoke again. "I guess they must be if the knights are always hunting them down, but I don't think they should be. They don't bother us like all the stories said they once did. I would understand if we were hunting them for food, but the knights just kill them…for sport. It doesn't seem fair."

"Life isn't fair." Serenity winced at the harsh tone of voice that Joey used, the blonde wanting to take back his words as he watched Serenity wilt.

"I know it isn't, big brother, but still…" She let the topic drop, rocking back to tip her head back to the sky. After a while she raised her hand to trace and outline of a constellation. Joey assumed that she remembered when their mother had pointed it out to them and from here memories of a time when she could still see. Her hand stilled, a smile crossing her face. "A dragon, up among the stars."

Joey looked up at the constellations, a smile crossing his own face. He reached over to guide his sister's finger into a new pattern, remembering when his mother had done this to him, guiding his hand and telling him the stories that accompanied the constellations. "There's the hunter and the flying horse."

Serenity giggled, shifting so her own hand was leading Joey's, a broad motion that moved along the strip of color that was dashed across the sky. "The path to heaven."

The two settled into companionable silence, now tracing the patterns in the sky without saying anything. They knew what they were pointing out, memorization of the constellations making speech useless. They stayed out in the night for as long as they could; trying to avoid going back to the home where they father had probably drunk himself into a stupor. Trying to avoid facing the next day when more abuse would be heaped on them and forgetting themselves to the past.

* * *

Gozaburo watched his knights feast, letting them enjoy the last night in this drafty castle before they began to move. He drummed his fingers on the table, absently watching his son and the woman Seto insisted on keeping by his side. Gozaburo snorted in disgust, raising his cup to his lips and taking a long drink. There were no redeeming qualities in the girl. She was too skinny, too pale and her eyes were too strange.

He gripped the golden cup tighter as Kisara giggled at something that Seto said, his hatred for the girl growing. How Seto had stood her for four years was a mystery to him. Four years of fidelity, and Gozaburo had only managed the nights when Seto and Mokuba had been conceived before he rushed after the next woman who caught his fancy. He rolled his eyes and tried to direct his attention to something else in the room.

All around him, the knights who had sworn loyalty to him where celebrating, minus a few; the few that had been sent after the only dragon unintelligent enough to remain in his kingdom. And they had all never come back. Gozaburo had a passing thought, that Mahad could have probably bested the dragon, but he quickly pushed it away. Mahad didn't matter anymore. The knight was off somewhere with the witch's child.

He took another drink of wine, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and turning his gaze to the silver plated pitcher that was beside of him, staring at the distorted reflection. The only problem that remained with the move was the dragon. Gozaburo didn't want to parade his prized pet out in front of all the people, possibly inviting attack. But he didn't want to be separated from the creature for a whole day, because something would get to it. It was better to travel at night, which meant that he would have to remain behind while the rest of his retinue moved on without him. Which meant more time in this castle.

Gozaburo cursed under his breath, turning away to stare at the feast when something caught his eye. He looked at the pitcher, staring at the reflection as he watched a slight woman slink along the edge of the room, reaching up her sleeve for something hidden there. Gozaburo tensed as he saw the flash of a blade, his eyes never leaving the pitcher as he waited for her to come closer. When she had the blade raised over his back, Gozaburo spun around, standing up and slamming the woman up against the nearest wall. Immediately, the noise stopped. The king cautiously glanced over his shoulder, eyes narrowing as he saw that his son was the only one that had remained seated. He shook his head and looked at the woman.

She was quite pretty, if one looked beyond the dirt that was smeared all over her face. He watched the girl tremble for a moment, glaring up at the knife in her hand. "You are either very brave or very stupid."

The young woman squirmed in his grip, glaring at him. Gozaburo just leered back, suddenly bored of the feast. It had been a long time since such a beautiful woman had come into his possession. It would be compensation for having to remain in this horrible place. He reached up and plucked the knife from her grasp, gathering her wrists in one hand as he turned to address the rest of the room. "I have to teach this one a lesson."

There were catcalls from the knights and glares from his son and his woman. Gozaburo ignored this, already tired to their obvious disdain. He was the king; his decisions would not be questioned. It would be best if he removed that woman from his son. Her influence wouldn't be tolerated any longer. He sneered at them before carelessly tossing the knife so it landed quivering in the table right by Kisara's hand. The woman casually looked down at the knife, not moving her hand. Kisara's other hand moved to steady Seto, keeping him from leaping up.

Instead of confronting Kisara, he pulled the would be assassin after him as he retreated to his chambers, speaking in a low voice. "I remember you. You're that girl from the quarry."

"You killed my father."

Gozaburo laughed at her cold tone. "He would have died anyway. I just eased his passage. Don't tell me you would prefer that he would suffer for the rest of his life?"

"He wouldn't have if you had let him go!" Gozaburo rolled his eyes at her outburst, opening the door to his chambers and shoving her in. The woman stumbled back, revealing another knife and plunging it into his shoulder. Gozaburo reeled back, wincing with the sudden pain before roughly pulling the blade out of his shoulder with a smile; ignoring the bellows of pain from the dragon.

He tossed the weapon aside, the wound on his shoulder already healing. The woman stared at him in horrified shock, mouth dropping open as Gozaburo rolled his shoulder. Happily, there seemed to be no permanent damage fro the wound. He smiled at her and pushed her backwards, quickly straddling the woman so she could not get away. He looked down into her shocked blue eyes, noticing they resembled his wife's before forcing her into a rough kiss, only pulling back to whisper in her ear, "You cannot kill me. I am immortal."

* * *

Atem glanced up from the deer that he was tearing at, looking oddly at the prince who walked over with an armful of wood and leaving. The human repeated the process, bringing a torch and his pack, two deer, requiring a trip each, and a skinned rabbit. The prince started a small fire, quickly setting up so his rabbit would cook. He looked up at the dragon, gesturing at the deer. "Those are for you."

The dragon blinked slowly, comprehension slow in coming. He lowered his head so he could see eye to eye with the human. Surprisingly, the human kept eye contact. Atem had thought that all humans automatically thought he was trying to steal their soul. There was no reason that this human should have been anything but afraid of him. Atem tipped his head to the side. "Why?"

Yugi shrugged, stepping away from his dinner to stand closer to the dragon. Atem could feel the prince's gaze as the human looked him over, trying to suppress as shudder. He wasn't used to this kind of scrutiny. Finally the human shrugged, his eyes never leaving Atem. "You look like you need it. I can see all your ribs."

The human reached out a hand, hesitating to look at the dragon. "Can I?"

Atem found himself mesmerized by the violet eyes of the human, watching the different colors that the firelight brought out in them. He tipped his head slightly to one side, watching the new shades of violet that appeared, not quite understanding his attraction. It was true that this human was different from the others. The prince seemed to see him as something beyond a dumb beast, which was greatly appreciated by Atem.

His gaze never leaving Yugi's eyes, Atem gave a slow nod. "Yes."

* * *

_Read and review please. Criticism is appreciated._


	5. Messes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own bits of the plot.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own bits of the plot.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Messes**

**   
_Two brave knights charged as one;  
Their iron blades flashing in the sun._   
**

Yugi stepped forward and placed his hand on the dragon's side, gasping at the texture of the scales. They felt like leather, completely different to how Yugi thought the tough-looking scales would feel. And the dragon was warm, a comfortable warmth against his palm. He began stroking the dragon's side, suddenly reluctant to stop. It was so much better than he imagined, being able to touch a living dragon instead of a dead one. He turned and smiled up at the creature when he felt the dragon's eyes on him. "Warm."

The dragon nodded, an amused rumble sending vibrations up Yugi's arm. The prince bit his lip to hold back a gasp at the pleasurable sensation, already craving more. He pulled his hand away, carefully cradling it to him as he walked back to his meal, morosely turning the rabbit on its spit. He wished that he had made the fire closer to the dragon. He pulled the rabbit away from the fire, examining it before setting it back down with a sigh.

"I could…" The dragon trailed off as Yugi looked up at him, confused by the dragon's sudden avoidance of eye contact. Yugi leaned back onto his hands, the motion enough to urge the dragon on. The creature shifted, leaning his head closer to the fire. "I could help you with that."

Yugi nodded, his eyes unfocused as the dragon came closer, carefully raising his head before blowing a stream of fire over the rabbit. The prince watched the dark flames lick the rabbit, holding out a hand as a signal to stop the same time the dragon closed its mouth and pulled back. Yugi pulled the spit from over the fire, examining the rabbit before taking a bite, purple eyes filling with worry when he saw the dragon staring at his half eaten deer.

The dragon seemed to notice this, the tip of his tail twitching before he looked back at Yugi. "Most people would lose their appetite watching a dragon eat."

The prince shrugged. "I chose to come here. Don't let me stop you."

The dragon nodded slowly, arching his neck to bite into the haunch of the deer before pulling back, jaws snapping shut around the piece of meat. Yugi turned his attention back to his own food, reminding himself that it was rude to stare. But he couldn't help himself, dragons had always held a fascination for him, especially after all the stories his mother had told him.

It was interesting, being raised with those stories. From the knights he heard how dragons were cruel beasts that lived to torment humans. From his mother he heard about the intelligence of dragons and the wonders that they could do. He, himself, was torn on how to see dragons other than the pity he felt when Mahad had slain another one. Yugi knew that they didn't deserve their treatment, but so far had seen no signs of the intelligence that his mother claimed they had.

Until he had met this one.

Yugi looked up from his rabbit, watching as the dragon finished off his deer, lowering his head to lick the blood off his claws. The dragon sensed his gaze, looking up and meeting Yugi's gaze for a while before standing up and walking over to where the other two deer were. Yugi tipped his head back to watch the dragon, fingers twitching on the stick he was holding, the sudden urge to draw upon him. He had felt awed when he looked at the other dragons, finding their different shapes, scale colors and patterns of flight fascinating; but he had never seen one as beautiful as the one who was walking close to him.

Despite his ill health, the dragon still showed signs of strength, visible in the muscle that ripped right under the black and red scales. His head was about half of Yugi's height, if the horns that started over each eye were not counted in the measurement. The dragon's muzzle came down much like a bird-of-prey's beak, different from the many rounded muzzles that Yugi had seen. In the firelight, the dragon's scales glittered black, turning red as the light fell on them in a certain way. Both the hind legs and the forelegs had four claws, the fourth attached to the back of the hand like a thumb or to the back of the hind foot like a spur. Wings rose from the dragon's shoulders, the membrane pulled tightly around the bones that made up the basic structure, with one claw at the point where the dragon folded them back on the body. The wings too looked black until the light touched them, bringing out the red that shaded the outer edges.

The dragon shot him an odd look, settling down closer to the fire and Yugi as he pulled one of the deer closer to him. Yugi blushed, realizing that he was caught staring again. The dragon huffed, a bit of smoke coming from his nostrils. "Am I really that interesting to you?"

"Yes." At the dragon's jerk of surprise, Yugi found he had to elaborate. "I've never seen one of your kind a alive or not fighting for its life. It's nice to see a dragon just being."

"So, you've seen a lot of dragons slain." There was a warning growl to the dragon's voice.

"None that I wanted to." Yugi glared down at his rabbit, pulling a piece of meat from the carcass and staring at it like it was the cause of all his problems. "I've never wanted to kill things, besides what I need for food. I understand that much, but it doesn't mean that I'm happy with it. But Mahad, he seems to want me to be like that, ready to kill for anything because…" Yugi waved his hand, not really knowing where he was going with the rest of the sentence. He stared into the fire, chuckling harshly, mostly to himself. "I'm a knight of the kingdom, such as it is, and I've never even had to use my sword. And there's part of me that likes it. What kind of knight am I?"

"A good one." The dragon replied around a mouthful of meat, swallowing as his gaze remained up at the stars. "'His blade defends the helpless…'"

Yugi looked up abruptly, recognizing part of the old code of chivalry. The dragon looked at Yugi out of the corner of his eyes, mirth sparkling in the crimson depths of his eyes; probably laughing at the shocked look on Yugi's face. The dragon tipped his head, firelight making the edges of his scales look red. "What? Why shouldn't I know the code of humans? I've been around long enough."

"How old are you?"

The dragon tipped his head to the side, a chuckle rumbling through his chest. "A few hundred years, I guess. I don't really keep count. Age isn't important to me. I'll live for, at least, a few millennia…hopefully."

Yugi tossed the remains of his dinner into the fire and walked over to the dragon, hesitating before resting a hand on his shoulder. The dragon turned his head to look at Yugi before pressing his head into Yugi's side with a sigh. Yugi froze at the sudden warmth on his on his side, looking down at the dragon while his hand moved vaguely over the dragon's side. The prince frowned as he found a patch of disturbed scales, running his fingers over the cracked surface. He stopped as the dragon pushed his head a bit harder into Yugi's side. "Why did you let me do all of that?"

"All of what?" Yugi was staring at the disturbance, running his fingers around the small dip that it created in the scales.

"You let me nearly swallow you…just to prove a point." The dragon gave a shudder, the motion throwing Yugi closer to the dragon's shoulder. Yugi looked up as the dragon pulled a wing over Yugi, pushing his own head into the little shelter that he had created. The prince started at the frightened look in the dragon's eyes. "I could have eaten you, I was about to, and you just sat there."

Yugi leaned against the dragon's shoulder, suddenly reluctant to leave the warmth. He closed his eyes as he thought, hearing the concerned rumble of the dragon, but ignoring it for the time being. There was no reason that he could think of. His whole plan had hinged on the shock it would give Mahad, perhaps enough to scare the knight into stopping his obsession. Yugi was a prince without a kingdom, a knight without a purpose. He honestly thought that that was no real purpose behind his existence now. Mahad talked about rebellion, but Yugi had seen the people, there would be no rebellion while they were beaten down. All their hopes, both Mahad's and Seto's, rested on him. But he couldn't _do_ anything; which was why it wasn't such a big sacrifice to have offered himself like that. But even when the dragon was about to swallow him, Yugi had known that the dragon wouldn't eat him. The prince opened his eyes, meeting worried crimson with a shrug. "I trust you."

The dragon blinked slowly at him, beginning to draw back his head. Yugi reached out, grabbing the dragon's muzzle and giving a gentle tug to encourage the dragon to return to the shelter. He ran his hands over the dragon's head, enjoying the leathery feel of the creature. He rubbed just above one of the red eyes, listening to dragon sigh as the touch relaxed him. Yugi smiled at the purr that he earned with the action. "I believe in you, dragon."

"I have a name." The ferocity of the statement was missing as the dragon leaned into Yugi's touch. The prince laughed, trying unsuccessfully to smother the sound. The dragon gave him a playful bump with his muzzle. "It's not dragon, it's Atem."

"Well, Atem, I'm Yugi."

Atem gave a content hum and pushed his head closer to Yugi. "Then tell me, Yugi, why I shouldn't steal you away to my cave and make you do this everyday."

Yugi gave the dragon a light tap with his other hand, which immediately began rubbing along the top of the dragon's muzzle. Atem wiggled a bit, eyes falling shut with a groan. Yugi giggled at the dragon's reaction. "Wouldn't you prefer a princess to do that sort of thing?"

One eye opened lazily. "A disgusting squealing thing? No," Atem raised his head so that the tip of his muzzle rested on Yugi's shoulder, "I'd rather have you."

Yugi grabbed onto Atem as he swayed, his legs wanting to give out under the stimulus. The dragon didn't seem to notice, chuckling as he pulled away. He raised his wing back into its natural position, turning back to the deer. Yugi remained in place, reaching one hand out for something to steady him. He found himself leaning against the disturbance in the scales, looking at the rough circular shape. Yugi tapped Atem's shoulder, the dragon tipping his head and licking blood off his muzzle. "What's this?"

"Arrow." Atem's voice seemed oddly choked. He swallowed the meat in his mouth, shaking his head. "About four years ago. I got most of it out, except for the head."

"Does it hurt?" Yugi ran a finger around the circle, backing off when Atem shifted his shoulder, the end of the arrowhead glinting dully in the firelight.

"Sometimes, when I'm overusing the muscle, but nothing horrible."

"Do you want it out?" Atem blinked at the question, a rumble in his chest showing his confusion. Yugi reached up to stroke the scales, smiling as Atem leaned into the touch. Silence dropped between them as the dragon took the time to ponder the question. Yugi watched as Atem's claws tapped on the ground. He reached up, placing his whole hand over the messed up scales. "Because I can probably get it."

"Really?" The red eyes were back on him, glittering slightly in the dying firelight. Yugi nodded, his gaze never leaving Atem's as his hand drifted up to that patch, fingers easily finding the edge to the arrow. Silently, Atem shifted his shoulder so that Yugi wouldn't have to stretch up, letting the prince grab onto the arrowhead. Yugi adjusted his grip on the small piece of metal, looking at Atem until the dragon gave a nod. Yugi pulled back, gritting his teeth against the pained grunt of the dragon. He closed his eyes, stumbling back and dropping the arrowhead. Cautiously, Yugi opened his eyes, staring at the dragon's shoulder.

A small amount of blood dripped out off the reopened wound, trailing down Atem's shoulder. Yugi moved closer to the wound, watching in awe as the blood turned from a luminescent red at the start to a dull red, almost black color, as it left the veins. His study of the dragon was interrupted as Atem moved his head, licking the wound to clean up his shoulder. The dragon pulled back, turning his head in contemplation before nodding to himself, looking at Yugi with the motion. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Yugi smothered a yawn, looking back towards the main group. Mahad had long since gone to sleep, probably sulking over the fact that Yugi had chosen to spend his night with the dragon. Bakura and Ryou were also asleep, tangled in each other and the blankets. Yugi smiled as the poet snuggled closer to the thief, earning a smile from the man as Bakura subconsciously pulled Ryou closer. There was a vacant spot between Mahad and the two, the spot that Yugi usually took when he wasn't staying up sketching the dragon that they had killed that day or forcing himself to practice his sword work so he could fall into an exhausted sleep where his conscious couldn't plague him. At least he was guaranteed a good night's sleep tonight; they had saved the dragon instead of killing it. Maybe this could become a regular occurrence. He should go back over to Mahad and sleep, but he couldn't make himself leave the warm presence of the dragon.

Yugi trudged over to his pack, pulling out the cloak he used as a blanket and wrapped it around himself, shuffling back over to the dragon. He leaned against Atem's side, smiling at the faint gurgling that the dragon's stomach made as it worked on digesting food. The prince reached out and stroked the dragon, giving a sleepy chuckle as Atem's hind leg twitched as Yugi found a ticklish spot. The dragon stopped eating to shoot Yugi an annoyed look, the faint chuckle that he gave dispelling any serious implications. The prince curled up, pulling the cloak more securely around him and let his eyes fall shut. He heard Atem shift, and the smell of smoke as the dragon pushed dirt over the smoldering embers. His eyes opened a fraction as there was a faint vibration from behind him and the sound of a soft trill. He tipped his head so he could see Atem, surprised to see the dragon looking at the stars and humming to himself. He settled back down, listening to the happy hum that came from the dragon. Yugi looked up at the stars, the smile still on his face as he drifted to sleep.

* * *

"If you're going to help her, take the passages." Kisara jumped as Seto wrapped his arms around her, whispering in her ear. She turned around, finishing tying her robe up. Seto smiled at her before heading for the door. "I'll meet you in the yard with a horse."

He slipped out, leaving Kisara to walk over to the fireplace and press a stone to the right of the mantle. She stepped to the side as the flagstone shifted to the side, revealing a damp passage. Kisara stepped into the passage, ducking her head as the stone closed, rubbing her arms as darkness descended over her. Kisara carefully made her way down the stairs. She reoriented herself to head for Gozaburo's chambers when she reached the bottom of the steps, resting one hand against the wall as she began to move through the darkness. She could see well enough in the dark, probably better than most humans, but still not as good as her sight had been as a dragon. She could see vague shadows in the pitch dark where human would have seen nothing. Kisara winced as her palm was scraped against a sharp stone, pulling it back from the wall with a hiss. She smothered the sound as she realized where she was, a faint smile crossing her face.

Kisara peered at the wall for a moment before she pressed on a certain stone, stepping onto the staircase that led into the next room. She ran up the stairs, carefully poking her head out of the gap to look around the room. To her relief, Gozaburo was fast asleep, a blanket thrown haphazardly over him. She clambered further out of the gap, hands tightening into fists as she saw the girl from before.

The brunette had curled herself into one corner of the room, holding the tattered remains of her clothes to her body as she rocked back and forth. Her face had tear tracks through the dirt, although her tears had long since dried. Kisara could see red marks and bruises, probably from where she had struggled, all over her skin. Kisara shook her head and crept across the room, sending an angry glare and Gozaburo before kneeling down by the girl's side, one hand hesitating in the air.

The girl seemed to notice her presence then, darting away and gasping when her back came in contact with the wall. Kisara immediately lowered her hand, a wavering smile on her face. It seemed like enough to convince the girl because she crawled back over, her hands dropping from the strips of cloth to cling to Kisara's shoulders. "Help me, please!"

"Can you walk?" Kisara stood up, offering a hand to the girl. The girl nodded and stood up, whimpering before she leaned into Kisara. The two of them made their way back down into the passages, the girl giving soft whimpers as she forced her sore body to move. Kisara kept herself silent, waiting until they were standing at the bottom of the stairs in the passage and watching the flagstone roll back before she spoke. "I'm going to help you get out of here. But once you're out of the castle, you're on your own. I have to stay here and help Seto."

"What does Seto care?" The girl was shivering in the cold, shuffling along beside Kisara as she guided her down through the darkness. "He's going to be king eventually. What promises does he whisper to you at night? What makes you think that he'll keep them?"

Kisara wanted to protest, say that Seto was different from what they saw in public. But it would be a useless exercise. The girl was already set against the royal family and no amount of convincing would urge her to change her mind. Even if it did hurt to listen to someone openly abuse Seto for the protections he had set up around himself. Kisara shook her head and shifted her hold on the girl, supporting more of her weight to allow the girl to rest before she was forced to ride. "Let's just say that Seto doesn't see eye to eye with his father. Isn't that enough?"

The girl shook her head. "We need someone who will care about us. We are starving out there, surviving on dragon's meat. Just today they dragged in a one that some knight had killed."

Kisara paled at the statement, not listening as the girl continued on with her rant. She knew that the food shortage had been bad, but she had never thought that people would resort to doing that. Kisara swallowed quickly, fighting the urge to throw up. She just couldn't imagine anyone being able to do that. But, these people didn't care about dragons. It was evident enough in the way they talked about them. She felt her stomach rebel against the thought, the nausea disappearing as worry clawed at her. She lived in the eternal fear that she would look out and see Atem's carcass being dragged into the village to be consumed. She frantically searched for something to take her mind away from the idea, frowning as the nausea returned. "What about the true king?"

"The son of the witch?" Kisara looked away quickly in an attempt not to hit the girl. She had seen enough of Yugi to form her own opinion of the young teen before she had begun to talk to Seto. Even then, it had nothing but raise her opinion of the boy. And hearing those less informed just discount him like that angered her. Kisara's silence must have answered for the girl, because she nodded. "I remember seeing him once when Gozaburo blinded Joey's sister. I think he'd be alright, he looks nice."

Kisara pushed the door out of the passage out, leading the girl through the shadows until they reached the stables. She nodded at Seto, smiling as he silently held out the reins to the horse. The girl hesitated before taking them, scrambling up onto the horse and wincing as she did so. Seto kept his hand on the horse's shoulder as he looked up at her, speaking in an urgent whisper. "Go back to your village and don't show your face for a while. My father should forget about you soon."

He stepped away and walked back to the castle, leaving Kisara to smile and pat the girl's knee and lead the horse to the gates. The girl stared at the reins that she held in her hands for a long while before she looked up at Kisara. "Thank you for this. But what do I do now?"

"Find something." Kisara shrugged, backing away. The girl looked away before kicking the horse forward, wincing at the movement. Kisara flinched in sympathy, knowing that the girl must be in pain from what Gozaburo had done to her. She waited until the girl was out of the gates before she turned and walked back to Seto, not surprised to see him waiting in the shadows. He reached out a hand for her, guiding her to the entrance that would bring them out closest to their room. Unfortunately, it took them close to the dragon.

Kisara stepped close to Seto as they passed the black bulk. The dragon stirred, raising his head and slowly opening empty brown eyes to look at the two. He took breath of air, eyes widening for a moment before he gave a low growl. Kisara found herself shoved behind Seto as the brunette glared at the dragon, backing them toward the castle. To her surprise the dragon gave a dry chuckle, keeping his brown eyes on Kisara. "You keep a careful watch on your mate, human. You wouldn't want your father to get his hands on the child you've sired."

Seto forced Kisara inside, quickly grabbing onto her hand and pulling her back to his chambers. Kisara let him do so, her mind still reeling with the shock. It couldn't be right. But she had never thought that any of this could actually happen. She had just kept going, not thinking about the consequences.

None of which bothered her. All that she held dear was here with Seto. Her family had long left for other parts of the world; places where they wouldn't be hunted down. And Atem was somewhere out there, stuck living the life of a prey animal as he was forced to hide. Because he wouldn't leave his father or her on their own as long as he breathed. So that left her with Seto, the one who had managed to capture her heart.

She sat down on the edge of the bed, still staring off into the distance with a faint smile on her face, not really watching as Seto paced the floor in front of her. He suddenly sunk to his knees on the floor, holding her hands as he looked up at her. "It is true?"

"I don't know. But we can trust that dragon, I promise." Seto was up again with her words, pacing again. Kisara shifted, lying back and staring up at the ceiling. She turned her head, frowning slightly as she watched her lover pace. "It's not that bad, Seto."

"It will be, once my father finds out. He'll use it as an excuse to get rid of you both." Seto sighed at finally sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at her seriously. "He will, Kisara, and we both know that. Perhaps it would be best if you…"

Kisara sat up, staring up at Seto as she figured out the words that he couldn't bring himself to say. The inability to vocalize them said enough for her. She reached out and tugged on his hand, urging him up lay by her side, settling back down by his side and looking at him. She traced a finger down his face, looking at his side as his hand twitched, obvious eager to hold her, but he restrained himself; already getting ready to send her away. She leaned in to kiss his forehead, resting her own against his as she stared into his blue eyes. "We both know that you could do that. You would spend every day with me, which isn't the point."

He sighed, looking away. "I could do it, just to keep you safe."

"Seto…"

"I don't want to lose anything else." Kisara almost missed the whispered words, only catching them because Seto's eyes flicked back to meet hers for a moment before looking back at the wall. She sighed, wrapping her arms around him, just holding him as he continued his whispered confession. "Everyone…even Yugi is gone…and I…"

"You just sometimes just don't know what to do." Kisara finished his sentence, stroking his back slowly, feeling him relax. They didn't need to say anything else. There would be no more talk of sending her away because it would hurt them both too much. It was Seto's way of saying that he loved her too much to let her go and it was a comfort at the same time. It meant that she had found a way past the icy mask that he put up.

She snuggled into him with a long sigh, hearing him imitate her before he settled into sleep. Kisara gave him another kiss before following him into sleep.

* * *

Tèa slowed the horse down to a walk as soon as she could, not able to sit through the jarring ride. She raised a hand to wipe away the new tears that had come with the ride out before shaking her head, one hand clenching on the reins. She had more important things to do than cry.

She looked up and turned her horse so it wouldn't head for her village. She didn't want to return before she had accomplished something. Then she could show that she was better than this. It was the one thing that she had to prove; that she was more than the whore that the king had made her. She whimpered, shaking her head at the thought. She bit her lip to keep from crying. It wouldn't help. What she needed was a plan, a sure plan. A plan to avenge her father's death and her own rape. Tèa took a deep breath to calm herself.

First and foremost, Gozaburo had to die. Luckily, it seemed that Seto and his lover seemed willing to help. She knew that, assuming that nothing went wrong, her friends would help; maybe even the whole village. But only if the odds were in their favor. But a rebellion wouldn't work again, at least without a figurehead. And the people would not back Seto; they wanted someone who was closer to them.

She nearly pulled her horse up as the thought struck her, almost disregarding it immediately. It didn't matter, she was already spoiled. And, better yet, it would end this cycle. If there was a child of the true king, one with common blood, then the people would rally behind it. Yugi, as they saw him, was too weak and too much like his mother; but still the better choice. Perhaps the addition of good blood would get rid of the taint of the witch. And there was the sympathy to be gained from a murdered love…

Tèa drummed her fingers against the saddle as she thought, ignoring the shivers that ran down her body. It would humanize the son of the witch further, if he was seen with a commoner, showing his concern for the people. And then, they would love him and any offspring even more if they found him ruthlessly slaughtered. Then they would fight for his progeny. And they could get a king that cared for them.

She turned her horse, urging it toward the neighboring village to her own. They would probably know where Yugi was and know her little enough to not hear of her earlier plan. There she could rest and then talk to her friends. Tèa nodded to herself, blue eyes resolute. This plan would work better than her last, she was sure of it.

* * *

Bakura divided his attention between watching Yugi and Mahad spar and attempting to read Ryou's scribbles. The thief scoffed, only seeing lines and loops, a word appearing every now and then, but none of it making sense. He squinted against the glare of the sun, turning his head to watch the thing he could comprehend. He jumped as Ryou sighed and leaned back onto him, shooting an annoyed glance up at Bakura. When the thief finally condescended to make a questioning noise, Ryou rolled his eyes dramatically. "The muse isn't speaking to me."

"How dare she."

His sarcastic remark earning him a slap from the poet. "I'm serious, Bakura!"

"Just write about those two practicing or make something up!"

"But, 'Kura," the thief winced at the pet name, "I want something exciting, something that will capture the hearts and minds. Something that will be remembered forever."

"This is about as memorable as you can get." Bakura ignored Ryou's pout as he leaned back on the rock they were seated on, enjoying the warmth. Between the river and where they sat were Yugi and Mahad, the prince easily keeping up with the drill. Behind them, standing in the center of the river, was the dragon, watching the whole proceedings with interest. Bakura couldn't think of any stories that he had ever heard of that ended up like this; a knight who went out to kill a dragon and wound up befriending it. Not even the stories of the dragon obsessed clans of the south had ever come to this conclusion.

Ryou sat up and went back to his scribbling, his writing even less legible than before. Bakura gave up trying to read it and focused instead on the two knights as they stopped and backed off. The dragon splashed closer to shore, lowering his head to talk to Yugi. The prince eagerly turned to converse with the creature, one hand leaving the hilt of his sword to rest on the dragon's muzzle.

Bakura narrowed his eyes as he watched the two interact, suddenly suspicious. He was about to move from his rock when Mahad brought up his sword, lunging forward. The dragon's eyes flicked to the attacking knight, something like fear flashing through them as he backed up. Yugi spun around, panic evident in his features as he saw the knight. The prince brought his blade up to guard, bracing himself against the lunge. The two knights came to a halt, Mahad visibly straining as the tried to push Yugi back. Surprisingly, the prince held his ground, gritting his teeth before shoving Mahad back and beginning his counterattack.

Bakura watched the swordplay, ignoring Ryou's exclamation of excitement. As a thief, he was used to carefully watching people, often spending what little free time he head simply watching people as they went about their business. Even though he had only known Yugi for a short time, he was able to see that this was not typical behavior. The prince's counterattacks were never this fierce; they usually had to be coaxed out of him as the prince tended more towards defense than offense. But now they were forcing Mahad to back away as the knight had to work to keep himself from getting cut.

The thief snorted as Mahad laughed and stepped away, obviously calling an end to the practice. Bakura watched Yugi advance one more step, sword ready to run through his opponent when he realized what was going on. Yugi gave a sheepish smile and dropped his sword point, looking back at the dragon who was giving off a low growl. Mahad didn't seem to notice the dragon or Yugi's behavior, rolling one shoulder and shouting, "Better, Yugi!"

The knight turned away, still laughing as he walked back to their packs. Bakura ignored the man for the moment, instead focusing on the prince. The thief slid from his perch on the rock, thinking over the emotions that had flashed across Yugi's face. There had been panic and then anger, the first real anger that Bakura had seen from the prince. It wasn't difficult to figure out why; Yugi had thought that the knight was going to try and kill the dragon again, so he had defended the creature.

He reached them as the dragon had rested his head on the bank so Yugi could wrap his arms around it, gently stroking a spot above the dragon's eye. Bakura was shocked to hear a sound like a purr coming from the dragon, not quite sure to make of the sound. His eye widened as he heard Yugi whispering to the creature and the dragon responding in his own low mutter. The thief stopped when the dragon's eyes flicked up to him, the motion making Yugi turn around.

Bakura crossed his arms, the dragon taking the hint and splashing away before ducking under the water. Yugi waited until the dragon had resurfaced before turning around, sliding his sword back into its sheath. He waited for Bakura to talk, becoming more agitated as the thief simply remained silent. Finally the prince snapped. "What?"

"I'd be careful if I were you."

"Be careful of what?" Yugi groaned as Bakura ambled over to another rock, leaning back against it to get out of the direct sunlight. The prince followed him into the shade, resting one shoulder against the rock. Bakura noticed that he oriented himself so that he could see the dragon at all times.

"You and the dragon-"

"Atem." Bakura jerked out of his slouched position, eyes wide at the interruption. Yugi was never like this. The prince blushed as he realized what he had done, ducking his head. "His name is Atem."

"By the gods! Yugi, don't do this to yourself."

"Don't do what?"

Bakura glared at the prince, waiting for him to stop playing stupid. His own russet eyes widened when he realized that Yugi had no idea what he was talking about. The thief sighed and relaxed, keeping his voice low so that Mahad couldn't hear him. It didn't matter if the dragon heard him or not, because Yugi would just tell all of this to the dragon anyway. "You're getting too close to the dragon. Just remember that its not human."

"Atem is a he, not an 'it'. And it's not like that. We understand each other."

"I'm sure you do. But that doesn't make it right. He's just a creature, probably plotting to kill us right now. He can never be human."

Yugi's hand twitched toward the hilt of his sword, his purple eyes widening in surprise at his own motion. He crossed his arms, digging his fingers into his arms to keep them from moving. Bakura following the motion with a knowing nod. "Yugi, do you know what you are doing?"

"Saving the few dragons that I can! They're not as bad as everyone thinks they are."

"No they're not, but that doesn't make them human. It…he doesn't think like us."

"The closest it gets to _that_ is fascination. We both fascinate each other. Nothing more."

Bakura raised an eyebrow, tapping his foot as he turned to look at the dragon, noticing that he had turned his head to look at them. There was no doubt that the dragon could hear and understand what was being said, he was an intelligent creature. But, in the end, the dragon was a creature, not the romanticized notion that Yugi had in his mind. Bakura turned back to the prince, retort ready when Yugi beat him to it. "Shouldn't you be worrying about Ryou? Others see that as more unnatural than my _friendship_," the word was stressed, "with Atem."

"I don't care what people think. It's their own loss."

"Yes, but I'm sure Ryou does." Bakura forced himself not to look over at his lover, instead clenching one hand into a fist. "And what makes you think that you can just keep him all to yourself? Or that he will even stay with you when he gets bored?" Yugi pushed away from the rock, walking back to the bank. "Worry about yourself first, thief."

Bakura didn't watch the prince go, rolling his eyes and letting out his breath in a huff. As much as he hated to admit it, Yugi had a point. And it was something that he refused to think of. There were times for living in the moment and times for thinking ahead; this situation was one of the former. Mostly because he still had no idea why he had been drawn to Ryou.

It had started out as another job, cut the purse away as the poet strolled around, lost in thought. Then, when Ryou had given chase, it had been about getting away as fast as he could. Until he had pined Ryou against that wall. He could have killed Ryou but, instead, he found himself wondering why he couldn't kiss the poet. And it had spiraled out of his control after that kiss, to the point where he spent his nights staring up at the sky wondering how he would get out of this mess. If he could get out of this mess because, as messes went, this was a nice one.

But it was so out of his normal course of action. He wasn't one to dive in without thinking _and_ ignoring the consequences. Bakura rubbed a hand over his eyes before walking back over to Ryou. He was just going to continue to ignore everything and live in the moment. There was no group of people that he hoped to impress or even tried to change himself to suit their opinions. He could just continue on like this and ignore the rest of the world. There was still the voice in his head that said he was in for heartbreak later, but Bakura could ignore it. His conscious had been crushed long ago; the little voice would soon follow.

He sat back down on the rock with Ryou, surprised when the poet looked up at him with worry. Whenever Ryou got into one of his writing moods, he tended to ignore the rest of the world, something that Bakura was not happy with, but he considered it a tradeoff for the days when he snapped at the world. The thief just gave a shrug before slipping back into his place. Ryou smiled at the chance to lean back up Bakura again and give him a kiss on the underside of his jaw. The two of them settled back down, Ryou reaching for his papers and beginning to scribble again, Bakura closing his eyes and just listening to the sound.

He was content with is life for the first time in a long while, and he was willing to do anything to keep it like this. But he would be able to let this go, he promised himself that. He would be able to move on after Ryou.

* * *

_Read and review please. Criticism is always appreciated._


	6. The Night Before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own pieces of the plot

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own pieces of the plot

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**Chapter Six: The Night Before**

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**The ladies 'round the campfire drew away their chosen men.  
The air alive with the fear that they would never be seen again.**   
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Seto twisted around in his saddle, earning a slap from Kisara before he had even completed the move. He turned back, staring glumly down the line of people that were heading for the new castle. He was supposed to be in charge of this whole venture, but he couldn't focus on any of it. He was too busy worrying about Kisara, despite all her protests.

How where they going to survive this?

Gozaburo would attempt to kill Kisara before the child was even born and Seto couldn't leave with them without his absence being noticed. He would be hunted down and forced back to the castle as Gozaburo had yet to sire another heir.

Seto knew exactly how his father perceived him. He was a cold hearted man, one who cared little for anyone around him and was able to keep a cool mind when everyone else was in a panic. That was the image he tried to present to everyone, the image that nearly everyone had fallen for. Only four people, three now, had seen through it.

He sighed, blinking as Crump rode up beside him, openly staring at Kisara. Seto carefully cleared his throat, drawing the knight's attention back to him. Crump seemed disappointed for a moment before he gave a smile, the expression looking forced. Seto looked away, allowing Crump to ride beside him for the time being. Eventually, the knight would speak and then ride on ahead. The three other knights closest to Gozaburo would follow the pattern, leaving him ready to strangle someone by the time they reached the new castle. There was a small mercy in the fact that Lector had stayed behind with Gozaburo and the dragon.

"My prince, your father asked me to bring up the topic of marriage with you." Seto rolled his eyes, forcing himself not to look at Kisara. In public, he tired to act uninterested in her, often failing. She was supposed to be a maid he had picked out at random, but the ruse was ruined as he refused to allow her to change her appearance. He had grown too fond of her white hair to let that happen. He steeled himself for the lecture that the knight would give.

"It is the best choice for the kingdom if you marry now, as we are in a year of plenty." Seto contemplated the irony of the statement as he looked to the side of the road, watching two skinny children scurry away. It was only a year of plenty for the nobles. He looked away, eye tracing the path to the village. Where was Yugi in all of this? He should have come back by now, or at least heard of his kingdom's plight.

"I'll think about it." Seto cut Crump off before the knight could continue in his ramble, suddenly not wanting to hear more. Crump looked offended as he urged his horse forward, Seto glaring at his back until the squat knight had fallen back into the line of people. Seto looked up at the sun, estimating the time it would take them to reach the new castle.

If all went well, the move into the castle would be painless, the wagons having been sent out earlier and the riders coming later in the day. Most of the servants and knights had gone with the first wagons, which meant that the castle should resemble some kind of home by the time they got there. And he could keep Kisara away from everyone, ready for when his father arrived with his dragon.

He looked down as Kisara reached over to place a hand on his knee, breaking their rule of no signs of affection, but Seto couldn't bring himself to move from her touch. He gave her a small, shaky smile before turning his attention back to the column of riders.

* * *

Atem spiraled up into the sky, riding a thermal to save energy. He turned his head slightly, eyes easily picking out the group riding through the forest. He adjusted his wings, steering out of the thermal and diving back toward the earth, timing his descent so that he was skimming close to the ground as the group emerged from the forest, riding along the edge. The horses and mule just snorted when they saw him, now used to his presence after spending most of the day with him. Atem pulled up, grunting as he came to a hover to let his hind legs touch the ground before letting himself fall back forward, folding his wings on his back and settling to a slow walk beside the group. Yugi smiled at him, eyes shining. Atem nodded at the prince, about to speak to him when Mahad motioned him forward. The red and black dragon rolled his eyes and walked up to the knight. He didn't appreciate being ordered around like a dumb creature, but at least it was better than being treated like vermin.

"We're heading toward the next village over. Hopefully we can get some supplies before heading back toward the hills. You sweep the area; stay on the look out for anyone who would want to kill Yugi." Atem gave a sharp nod, his patience already wearing thin. He knew that if he left without saying a word Mahad would be after him again and he wasn't sure that Yugi would be able to convince the knight to hold his sword this time. "We'll rest there before heading closer to the new castle."

"You plan to attack now?" Atem stared at the knight in shock, growling as the knight nodded.

"The king will be distracted by the move and we can slip in easily with all the people running around. You just act as a distraction and we'll do the rest. Then, we can go our separate ways." Mahad glared at him, implying that Atem wouldn't be welcome back into this kingdom after this whole affair was over. The dragon snarled at the knight, watching as the horse shied in fear. Mahad scrambled for a better hold on the reins, one hand reaching for his sword. Atem noticed and fell back a step.

"Your plan is suicidal." The black and red dragon kept his voice low, not wanting the others to hear. Mahad was clearly the leader of the group and all would fall apart if his authority was challenged. Yugi would be the only one willing to accept the dragon's advice. The others thought him just above a stupid animal. Atem glared at Mahad as the knight looked over at him, the fingers tapping against the pommel of the sword his warning to the dragon. Atem glared at the human's attempts to intimidate him before expanding on his earlier statement. "It's rushed. You only have three on your side that you know of, I don't think you are willing to trust the poet and the thief."

"If they agree, I'll welcome their help. But I won't force them into this."

Atem forced his voice to remain low, wanting to snap at the knight. "So we _might_ have five on our side. Against the entire castle if one of us slips up? What are your plans for escape?"

"Seto will help us and Aislinn. And there will be no need for escape after we take the castle. These people are loyal to Yugi, he is their hope for safety." Atem stopped in his tracks, letting the rest of the group ride past him. It didn't matter, he could catch up to them in a moment. He dropped his head, shaking it. Mahad was a good knight, he could see that, but he couldn't see past the need to get his charge back into power. And his information was woefully out of date. That was going to get them all killed.

Atem sighed, staring down at his claws as he thought. Mahad he could care less about, his relationship with the knight already strained. But was he really ready to condemn the others to the same fate? He didn't know Ryou or Bakura well, but he and the thief had an understanding, the both of them having to make their living off others. Atem suspected that Bakura knew that he was more intelligent than the stories said dragons were, but didn't like to admit it, just because it was easier to justify his actions, somewhere along the line. And the poet was harmless to everyone. But he didn't want Yugi to get hurt. He looked up, eyes going immediately to the tri-colored hair. He stared at Yugi as the prince and Ryou talked, listening to their laughter as it floated back.

No, he didn't want Yugi to be killed in this reckless plan. Yugi was the only one who had attempted to understand him or had even looked at him as something other than a creature. He was just fascinating to the dragon, the need to spend more time with the prince drawing him closer than he wanted to be. But, somehow, Yugi made it all worthwhile. And that would all end if Mahad went forward with his plan.

The dragon growled to himself and walked back toward the head of the group, his long strides easily catching him up. Mahad glanced over like he was surprised to see the dragon. Atem gave the knight a serious look before opening his mouth to speak, intending to tell Mahad about the gaping wholes in his plan. He snapped his jaws shut as Mahad gave a careless wave of his hand, dismissing him without a second thought. "I don't want to hear it. Just do your job and we can see the end of each other."

Atem snorted, stopping and turning his head away. He relaxed when he felt a soft touch on his shoulder. Atem looked down at the prince, falling into step beside Yugi's horse as they walked along. The prince kept one hand on Atem, his fingers moving over the scales. The dragon sighed, looking at Yugi out of the corner of one eye. Yugi just gave him a soft smile, patting his shoulder. "Ignore Mahad. I feel like I don't know him anymore."

"Yugi…this-"

"Dragon!" Atem looked up with a snarl as Mahad shouted, pointing up at the sky in a clear indication of what he wanted. Yugi winced at the order, hand clenching to a fist where it rested on Atem's shoulder. Atem looked down at Yugi, gently nudging his shoulder to draw his attention again.

"I'll go. But, please, try to keep them safe. I don't trust this knight of yours."

"I trust Mahad with my life." Yugi was staring at him with wide eyes, Atem feeling horror seeping through him at the simple statement. If Yugi would follow Mahad, even when the knight was doing things that Yugi didn't agree with, then his life was in danger. Atem looked away, unable to stand the shocked gaze of the young man.

"Please." The word was whispered before Atem moved away from the contact, walking off and good distance before shoving himself off the ground. He snapped his wings open at the top of his jump, hissing as they trembled under the sudden weight. It wasn't his favorite way of taking off, but it was the quickest. And he had to get away from the knight now before he did something he regretted. Like snatch Yugi away before Mahad could lead them into a potentially deadly situation. He circled the group, watching as Yugi gave him a sad wave before he found a thermal to carry him up. Atem let the warm air lift him higher into the air; turning is head as he scanned the countryside around him.

He understood why Mahad was doing this. The knight was simply trying to piece back together the world that he had seen shatter, it was a natural reaction. Atem had done it himself when his father had been captured, fighting the humans without any real plan. And he had paid for it. He was still paying for it. It was the reason he had offered the deal to the knight, because he had known that he wouldn't be able to survive a long battle. He needed what little reserves he had for the winter, because he wouldn't be able to make the long flight to somewhere else, not without having the cold weather catch up to him in the end. Which would mean another winter of taking from those who had less than him. But desperation was no reason to lead others to their deaths.

Atem caught a long line of humans moving across the plains, moving straight for the pristine white castle. The dragon snorted before letting himself rise into the clouds, using them for cover as he peered down at the humans. They looked harmless enough, save for the few men who rode with swords, but none of them looked like they were trouble. Atem snarled at the glint of armor in the sunlight, the sound dying in his throat as he caught a familiar scent. He hesitated for a moment before ducking below the cloud line, red eyes easily picking out the one human in the group that had attracted his attention. He would have recognized that white hair anywhere. Kisara was with this group of humans, which meant that she was still with her human. At least, he hoped she was.

Part of him longed to swoop down and greet her, but he restrained himself, forcing himself to turn around and head for the old castle, flying above the line of people. He absently searched for the king as he flew, while his mind remained on Kisara. There was another one who would fight for them without question, but there was also danger in that. She could get killed in the battle or killed if they lost, and the king had seen her desertion. Atem would never let that happen to his childhood friend. He snarled, sending a glare in Mahad's direction. If only the knight wasn't so hard-headed and allowed some sense to be talked into him, they could avoid most trouble! He shook his head, finding himself circling above the castle on a thermal. Sprawled out in the courtyard was his father, still chained to the ground.

Atem gained more altitude, bringing himself into a hover as he looked down. He wanted to dive down there and free his father, tear the chains from the ground and set the stones of that human place of torture on fire. Atem pulled out of the hover, turning so he could easily go into a dive, easily plunging a few feet. Before he got far, the image of Yugi's face flashed in his mind. It was all too easy to hear Yugi begging him to wait, wait for a more opportune time. Atem gave an aggravated growl before pulling up, hissing at the pain in his muscles as he stopped his free fall. The black and red dragon quickly turned around, heading back for his group, flying as fast as he could. He kept his eyes narrowed, the temptation to turn back around increasing. But, if he didn't go back, then the one person he cared about would be thrown into danger.

He spotted the little group, not bothering to check his speed as he came low to the ground, ending up running until he ran out of momentum near the back of the group. Atem glared at the humans, turning so he was standing in front of them and not allowing them to move on. Mahad looked up at him, obviously impatient for his report. Atem shook his head, his words coming out as more of a growl. "They are moving, but the king stayed behind with my…the dragon."

"Then he means to move the dragon later. So we'll catch him late at night, when the dragon is still being transported."

"No, you will wait!" Atem lowered his head, snapping at Mahad's horse, causing the animal to shy away. The knight quickly calmed his animal. Atem saw the knight's sword come out of the scabbard, watching the sunlight dance along the sharp edge. And he found that he didn't care. This was stupid and he would not allow it to happen. He crouched close to the ground, blocking their path. Mahad raised his sword, the action earning a snarl from Atem. "I will not let you pass."

"You have no choice, dragon." Mahad charged forward, Atem moving his head out of the way at the last minute. The sword's point raked across his chest, making him roar in pain. Mahad kept galloping on, turning his steed a short distance and staring at the blood that was on his blade. Atem shook his head, turning to stare at Mahad. The two remained in a staring contest until Atem was distracted as Ryou nudged Thoth after Mahad, Bakura following after with an almost apologetic shrug at the dragon. Only Yugi remained behind, torn between trusting Atem and going with Mahad. Atem pleaded with is eyes, not wanting to beg aloud. The prince's usually bright eyes darkened, Yugi's mouth opening to speak. But the knight quickly cut him off. "Yugi!"

The prince shook his head, reached out to touch the dragon, looking relieved that he did not pull away. He couldn't bring himself to pull away from Yugi, some part of his mind torturing him with the fact that this might be the last time they were together. Atem blinked quickly, banishing the thought with the motion. He would make sure that nothing ever happened to Yugi, he would try his best to prevent it. He wanted to preserve this one human who saw him as something other than a monster. Yugi gave him a sympathetic smile, the expression showing that Atem had lost his argument with the knight, Yugi would follow the one he owed loyalty to, and Atem was powerless to stop him for now. He relaxed as Yugi whispered, "I'll talk to you tonight, I promise."

Yugi urged his horse forward, trailing his hand across Atem's chest before bringing it to rest on his saddle. Atem resolutely clamped down on a whimper, leaning after the contact. He was not willing to show such weakness in front of the knight, but he craved the touch of this one human. It was too easy to forget the rest of the world and his own troubles when Yugi was there, the calm haven in the midst of the storm. Atem grumbled and jumped into the air, a snarl of pain escaping before he clamped down on the sound, shoulders trembling as they protested the rough treatment. He rode a thermal, circling so he could pinpoint the village that they were heading to before turning toward the forest to hunt for himself.

* * *

Gozaburo glanced up at the sinking sun before motioning for Lector to follow, cursing as his horse jigged nervously in the presence of the dragon. He looked up at the black monstrosity, wondering what was so frightening about the creature. The dragon was mostly flesh and bones, what fat and muscle that it had once possessed gone, along with the sheen to its scales. Now they were just a dull grey, having faded from nonstop direct sunlight. The proud attitude of the dragon had been damaged by the death of its witch friend and broken completely when it realized that no one was going to save it. The dying screams of its own kind had dulled the brown eyes and cowed the dragon, making it nothing more than a large dog. There was nothing to suggest that the dragon had ever been wild.

The creature walked calmly on the end of the leash, like the tame pet it had become. Lector held the chain that went up to the metal collar around the dragon's neck. The knight scrambled up onto his horse, quickly catching up to his kin. Gozaburo glanced once more at the dragon before looking toward his new castle. "No attempts at flying."

The dragon looked calmly down at him, a shrug making the chains that it still wore rattle. "What is the point of that? I have counted the screams, there is no one left here."

Gozaburo chuckled and nodded, a swift glare thrown to Lector to keep the knight quiet. The dragon would know of the situation with his own kind; the thought that it was the only one left kept it silent, and Gozaburo was happy with that. The three of them left through the gate, the dragon having to crawl through the small arch, growling at it scraped scales off. With little other trouble, the three set off in the direction of the white castle, following the trail that the nobles and wagons had taken earlier in the day.

While they traveled, Gozaburo let his mind turn to what one of the nobles had said before their group had departed, probably hoping to gain favor with the king. The noble spoke of another dragon slayer, one by a knight who refused to acknowledge Gozaburo as king, which could only mean that it was Mahad. The knight must have returned, but there was no sign of Yugi. Two ideas sprung immediately to mind, that Mahad had abandoned the small prince or Yugi had died, neither which seemed likely. Mahad would have never left Yugi behind, since the small prince was the focus of all his hopes for the kingdom. And Mahad never would have returned if Yugi had died. Fortunately, Yugi was a mere annoyance in the scheme of things. The peasants didn't see him as their king and everyone was convinced that the stress would kill him.

He looked over as the chains on the dragon rattled. The creature was staring up at the sky, a little bit more life in its brown eyes. Lector jerked on the chains, forcing the dragon's attention back to him. "What's so important, beast?"

Gozaburo didn't expect the knowing nod from the dragon and what looked like the start of a smile. The king shifted in worry over the expression before easily shoving the worry aside. There were ways to control this dragon. The beast was like the population, easily forced into silence. "It doesn't matter."

"No, it doesn't." The dragon rumbled out its reply, the chain clattering as it settled into an easy walk.

Gozaburo's suspicions were roused again, the king deciding to bring the dragon back to it's silent state. He didn't like the way it was acting now. He tapped his saddle for a moment before looking over at Lector. "What color is that one dragon that's left? The one that's been giving all our knights the trouble?"

Lector shivered; probably remembering his own experience with the dragon that had become the bane of all the knights. The king glanced up at the dragon as he waited impatiently for the answer, watching as the dragon turned, suddenly paying more attention to the two humans. Finally, the knight collected himself. "Oh, the man-eater. It is black, but some say its red too. I think that's just because of all the blood. It looks like this one too but," Lector shuddered, "those red eyes are enough to drive you crazy."

The dragon gave a quiet gasp, quickly looking away from the two humans. Gozaburo smirked, they had gotten it. He leaned back a bit, stretching one arm out as he purposely used an innocent tone. "Well, there was a dragon that was dragged into a village yesterday. Dead, thankfully. It was black."

"Gods be praised." Lector muttered the phrase was Gozaburo watched the dragon, disappointed that he couldn't shout his victory to the sky. The dragon had broken again, the once bouncing stride becoming a shuffle against as it lowered its head, lower jaw nearly brushing against the ground. The king turned his attention back to their destination, calculating that they should arrive there sometime after midnight. Both Gozaburo and Lector were too busy in their own thoughts to hear the dragon mutter to itself. "Atem."

* * *

Mahad smiled at the fire, watching the villagers. He was relaxed for the first time since he had met the dragon. He leaned back to look at the stars that were coming out in the early evening. The smile widened on his face as he recognized the calm that had taken over him as the usual emotion he felt before a battle. While others panicked or sat solemnly around, Mahad was able to stay calm.

The sound of moans drew his attention to the poet and the thief, wincing as he watched them before turning his gaze away. He caught a glimpse of Bakura as the thief pulled his lover up and moved them to a more private location, not understanding the attraction between the two men…or any two men. Mahad shook his head and stared at Yugi, finding the prince sitting close by and drawing something on the ground with a stick. He was about to attempt to see what Yugi was drawing when the village girls took the cue from Bakura, pulling their chosen men from the ground and urging them away into the shadows of the shacks. Mahad sighed and let his eyes almost fall closed.

It was good to have found a place that was not quivering in fear because of Gozaburo, at least not visibly. And it was good that he had found a place away from the dragon.

He looked up as a pretty brunette girl hesitantly reached out to take Yugi's hand, her face showing revulsion for a second before it was replaced by a smile, the change too fast for Mahad to comprehend what was going on. The prince sat quietly on the spot, looking almost frantically between the dark plains surrounding the village and Mahad, like he was begging the knight to give him a reason to stay. The knight waved him on. "I'll get everything ready and retrieve you when it's time to go. Enjoy yourself Yugi, you deserve it."

"But…" Yugi looked very flustered as the girl knelt, still holding his hand, while her other ran over his shoulder. Mahad chuckled at the blush that spread across Yugi's cheeks as the girl whispered something to him. The prince gave a small yelp and shifted closer to the knight, whispering urgently. "I promised Atem that I would talk to him tonight."

"Another night with the dragon?" Mahad made sure his tone was suggestive; he wanted to make sure that he got his point across to the prince. Yugi blushed deeper, but there was anger in his eyes.

"It's not like that." Yugi rocked back, allowing the girl to lead him away in his moment of no resistance, a hurt expression on his face. Mahad shrugged and pretended not to care. He knew that Yugi knew better than to fraternize with the dragon. It was bad enough with the reputation that these superstitious people had given him and his small size, there was not need to add _that_ idea to the list. Yugi had to start getting rid of these preconceived notions on his own if they were to succeed in helping the people as Yugi insisted.

Mahad sighed and pushed off the ground, walking over to where their horses were picketed, patting his own horse before checking over the animals. An annoyed snort from the thief's mule brought his attention out of planning for their assault on the castle. The knight looked up, surprised to see the dragon walking calmly over. Mahad stood up straight and leaned against his horse, watching as the dragon came to a confused stop, looking at the knight before glancing over at the village. A confused rumble came from the dragon, the sound making Yugi's palomino horse start and Thoth give the dragon a loud snort and a glare before the mule returned to his grazing. The dragon seemed to snap out of its daze at the sound, glancing down at the knight with confused and worried red eyes. "Where's Yugi?"

"Among his people, where he belongs." Mahad absently checked a strap on his saddle, pausing at the soft whimper. He looked up at the dragon, because it had to have been the beast that made the sound. He started at the hurt and betrayed look in the crimson eyes before following its gaze, smirking at the sight of Yugi and the village girl locked in a passionate kiss. Mahad chuckled, retying his pack onto the cantle of his saddle before moving over to repeat the process on Yugi's horse. He heard another whimper from the dragon, this one dragged out into a whine, the creature moving forward a step.

The knight looked up, prepared to stop the dragon from interfering, but the dragon hadn't move since the initial step. It had its shoulders hunched, wings pressed close to its back. And it was staring after Yugi in longing, an expression that Mahad recognized from his younger years. He had often seen it on the faces of his friends when they had passed through the horse markets or a pretty girl had strolled past, oblivious to the boys who were watching her. Mahad glared at the dragon, feeling no sympathy for the creature. Yugi was _theirs_; he did not belong with this dragon, no matter what the creature thought. The dragon winced at his gaze before slipping away into the night, still staring after Yugi.

Mahad growled to himself and pulled one of the straps, probably putting a bit more force that necessary. The dragon had no right to look at Yugi like that. The prince wasn't its property, nor was he at the beck and call of the dragon. Yugi had felt sorry for the creature once and saved its life. It was the dragon who owed Yugi everything and not the other way around. Mahad let one hand fall to the hilt of his sword, peering out in the darkness as he tried to spot the dragon. If the creature came back, the knight wouldn't hesitate in killing it. Never mind that it would ruin all the plans for their attack on the castle until now, Yugi's safety was more important. Yugi deserved this one chance to just be human instead of running and hiding from the rest of the world. Tonight, Yugi's whole world was going to change. He deserved this one freedom.

Yugi's horse nudged Mahad's side, obviously looking for a treat. The knight smiled and stroked the palomino before turning back to his work. He glanced up at the sky, smiling as he spotted the constellation of the hunter, tracing through the stars until the saw the dragon constellation, his smile disappearing. How were the two able to coexist up there? Shouldn't the dragon have been wiped from the stars if the hunter was doing his job? Mahad shook the thoughts out of his head, patting the horse's shoulder before moving onto the mule, glaring down the creature so it wouldn't attempt to kick him. Thoth gave the knight a sideways look before flicking his tail in an obvious dismissal. Mahad took that as permission to approach, quickly checking the animal over for any broken leather. He would let Bakura handle the actual check of their gear.

* * *

Was it supposed to hurt this much?

Atem stopped, rocking back so he could rest a hand over his heart, wincing at its steady beat. It shouldn't feel like that. It should feel like it was breaking. He let himself drop back to all fours, dragging himself further before finally allowing himself to collapse to the ground, not really wanting to walk any further. He bared his teeth against the whimper was threatened to escape, unable to defeat the sound.

This was foolishness. He shouldn't be feeling like this, it didn't make sense.

Yugi was just his friend, and that was all. That was all he would allow it to be. He couldn't do what Kisara had done and leave the world. He had a job. He was the Morningstar. It was his destiny to give his life up for his kind eventually. Atem shuddered at the thought, closing his eyes.

He didn't want to suffer as his father was. He didn't want to die for creatures that had no idea that he existed. Had no idea that he had once lived, breathed and felt. He wanted to live out his life, escape from the horrible cycle of fending off knights and living in agony for days afterward as he tried to calm himself down. He lived for the calm moments with Yugi, when he really felt like he could survive.

The bile rose in his throat, Atem pressing harder against the ground in an attempt to keep the contents of his stomach in place. He needed all the food he had consumed to even think about making it through the winter. But he couldn't get the image of Yugi and that girl out of his head. He didn't know why it affected him so much. He shouldn't feel this way.

But that girl had her hands over his friend, his companion. His love.

Atem's eyes snapped open at the thought, groaning as his body shook in misery. This had all gone wrong so fast. Yugi was a human prince, who obviously didn't care much for the dragon. Yugi had said it himself. Atem fascinated him. Yugi didn't want more out of the relationship.

"Kisara, what have you let me do?" Atem snarled out the words, flipping over to his back and clutching at his stomach as it rolled again. He winced, curling around himself with a moan. He couldn't think straight, his stomach and heart hurt so much. The dragon clawed at the ground, managing to flip himself over with a sigh, wincing at the next bout of pain.

This shouldn't be happening.

He closed his eyes again, flinching at each lance of pain that went through his sides. He tried not to panic, knowing that it would make everything worse. He had to calm down and think rationally for a moment. Atem let his eyes open partially, breathing heavily as he fought to control the panic that was rising in him.

This was the worst he had ever felt. Instinct was telling him to find a way to get rid of the pain, to claw and dig at the source until it disappeared. Atem growled; he didn't fell like disemboweling himself at the moment. Instead, he dug his claws into the ground, gritting his teeth against the pain and breathing heavily. He could sit this out, wait for whatever was causing his stomach to react to calm down. Atem's eyes shot open with the next round of pain, a whine escaping from him.

The only good thing about this was that it had driven all thoughts of Yugi and the girl far from his mind.

Atem whimpered, letting his eyes close again as the next round of pain came through. But what he really wanted right now was Yugi. He wanted the prince to help him through this, because he couldn't handle it on his own.

* * *

Yugi hopped on one foot, biting his lip to keep from making a sound as he nearly fell. He succeeded in pulling his pants back on, grabbing his shirt before fleeing the house, leaving the girl to sleep. Part of him scolded that he should have stayed with her, it was the least he could do. But, for the first time in his life, he didn't listen to what his mind was telling him. He just had to get out of there.

The girl had been nice, but there had been no talking between them, Yugi just lost in his own haze of pleasure. Which was one of the reasons he was leaving early. He hadn't wanted to have sex with the girl in the first place, just letting her do what she wanted because he was too angry at Mahad.

How dare the knight speak to him in that manner? Just because he preferred the intelligent company of Atem over sex didn't say anything about him. Did it?

Yugi shook his head, running and pulling on his shirt at the same time. He stuck to the shadows, trying to keep out of Mahad's line of sight. He didn't want to be sent back to that girl and have to face her after running away. It's not that he didn't like her. It was just that he'd rather get to know a person before bedding them.

He groaned and hit himself on the forehead, realizing that he had done exactly that. He had basically let the girl be an outlet for his frustrations. He had seen her flinch a couple of times, noticed that she was very bruised, but this was all coming after the fact. He should had noticed it first and stopped before it had gone too far. Yugi stumbled to a stop, leaning against a nearby post, burying his head into his hands. He _needed_ to talk to Atem to get his sanity back, just to hear the other's opinion of the events.

Because Yugi was sure that he had just messed everything up.

The prince pushed away from the post, walking glumly to the edge of the village. Atem would be somewhere outside the village, waiting for Yugi to keep his appointment. The dragon would find Yugi as soon as the prince stepped away from the village. He smiled at the thought of the dragon, his one true friend beyond his cousin. The thought was nearly enough to make him trip over Bakura and Ryou, the two sleeping tangled together.

Yugi stepped around them, staring at the two males for a moment before walking out of the village, blushing lightly and shaking his head. He wasn't sure why Mahad looked at them like he was disgusted with their very existence. They were happy with each other. Wasn't that what everyone was searching for, the one they really loved? Why should it matter if they were the same gender? Yugi shrugged at the thought, hoping that the motion would make the unease go away.

It was what he wanted anyway. He wanted to find the one person who would always stand by him no matter what. Yugi sighed, ducking his head so his blonde bangs hung in front of his eyes, noticing that he was walking past the dead fire from earlier in the evening. He began to walk faster, breaking out into a run as the pressure became too much. He had to talk to Atem quickly.

He had jogged out into the open, slowing when he realized that the dragon wasn't materializing out of the darkness. Yugi stopped and turned in a slow circle, worry beginning to invade his mind. Had Mahad done something to the dragon while he was gone? But the knight knew that their best chance to take back the kingdom would be with the dragon. So where was Atem? Yugi closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly feeling alone.

Then he heard it, sounding like it came from close by. The soft sound of a whimper.

Yugi began to jog toward the sound, straining to see through the darkness. He nearly tripped over the tail on the ground. The prince broke into a smile and caught himself before he could fall, dodging around the rest of the tail toward Atem's head. "Atem!"

The smile on his face vanished as Atem didn't respond immediately, lying still for a moment before opening one eye slowly. Yugi looked at the eye in shock, not liking the haze that covered it. He walked forward, eyes sweeping over the dragon for any sign of injury. Yugi reached out to touch Atem, eyes falling on the dragon's sides, watching them rise and fall faster than normal. His hand brushed over Atem's scales, Yugi leaned against the dragon and pressing his body against him as he ran his hands over Atem's neck and cheek. The dragon shifted, looking at Yugi with a forced smile on his face. "Yugi."

"What's wrong, Atem? What happened to you?"

The dragon shook his head, encouraging Yugi to rub the spot above his eye. The prince complied, listening to the long sigh that the motion drew out of the dragon. Atem leaned into the touch, eye fluttering shut again. "I'm fine, Yugi. Just _fine._"

Yugi jumped backwards as Atem whimpered out the last word, his whole body shuddering. The price saw Atem bare his teeth, claws digging into the ground before he finally went limp, breathing coming in quick pants. Yugi ran back to Atem's side, pulling the dragon's head close to him and running his hands over Atem, holding the dragon close. "No you're not. What's wrong?"

"Stomach hurts."

"How long?"

"Since you went off with the girl." Atem gasped, pressing close to Yugi as he trembled again. "It's not as bad now."

Yugi glanced up at the sky, quickly calculating how long it had been. It was past midnight now, a long time since he had allowed himself to be led away. And Atem had admitted that it had been worse earlier. Yugi shook his head, pressing his forehead against the warm skin of the dragon. "I'm sorry." He muttered, hearing the confused grunt of the dragon. "I should have been here."

Atem lifted his head a bit so he could look Yugi in the eyes. He blinked slowly before nudging Yugi backwards, lifting a wing to cover both Yugi and his head. The prince smiled at the gesture, hugging Atem's muzzle while he felt tears leak out of his eyes. "I thought you were dying."

"No. I'm just…not alright." Atem hesitated, glancing as his side before looking back at Yugi. "I didn't expect something like this for hundreds of years. Some older dragons suffer from this, but never younger ones."

"We've broken you." Yugi clung to Atem's head, hugging the dragon with all his strength.

"Yugi…"

"We broke you." Yugi felt tears begin to fall from his eyes, but he didn't want to reach up and wipe them away. It was his fault that Atem was like this. If he had been stronger in the beginning, the dragon could have been safe, living a life that he deserved. Instead, Yugi had been weak and ran away from the problem. And Atem was paying the price. Yugi shook his head when he felt Atem shift, the dragon getting ready to speak. "You wouldn't have this if…"

"Yugi." The name was slightly muffled with the hold that Yugi had on him. The prince reluctantly let go, sitting on the ground. Atem raised his head, resting it lightly on Yugi's lap so the human could still pet him. Yugi cuddled Atem close, not wanting to let the dragon go, partially afraid that he would disappear. Atem gave a soft trill, the sound so different from his usual deep voice that Yugi looked up to meet his eyes. "Yugi, we can't change the past. I'm fine now. I promise you."

"But-"

"No. I am fine, Yugi. Just think on that." Yugi nodded reluctantly, resting his forehead against the dragon again. Atem gave a small nod, enough to jostle Yugi. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Reluctantly, Yugi allowed himself to be dragged away from the topic of Atem's health and onto his reason for panicking. He watched his fingers as they traced around the scales on the dragon's head, preferring to stay in silence a little longer. Atem let him, shifting until he was in a more comfortable position, one that allowed him more contact with the human. Yugi smiled at the gesture, reaching behind with one hand to pat the dragon's side before his smile disappeared. "I think I did something horrible."

Atem tipped his head to the side, one of his horns brushing against Yugi's shoulder. "The girl?"

"Yes. I was mad at Mahad for…" Yugi found that he couldn't say the reason, blushing instead before looking away from Atem. "It doesn't matter. But I used her to prove that what Mahad thought was wrong. And she was hurt, I saw that but I still didn't stop. I was just…"

He pushed his hands through his hair, Atem lifting his head from Yugi's lap to look at the boy. Yugi shook his head, lowering his hands so that he could stare at his fingers. "I don't know, but I feel like I took advantage of her. I don't even know her name! And I still did that. I thought…I thought that I was better than that, better than most of the other nobles. But, I'm not in the end."

Atem lowered his head again, pushing his muzzle into Yugi's stomach with a soft trill. Yugi looked back down at the sound, finding himself under the scrutiny of a crimson eye, the expression stern. "You _are_ better than most of those nobles and this proves it. Do you think that any of them ever worry this much after the fact? Yes, you made a mistake, but you want to fix it."

"Can I fix it?"

The dragon shrugged, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I'm not familiar with human courtship. I can only guess."

"It's probably too late then."

"Probably." Yugi smiled as Atem agreed with him, relaxing from his panic of before. Of course the dragon understood, Atem would always understand him. Yugi cuddled Atem's head close to his chest with a happy sigh. As simple as that, the problem was solved, at least partially. They would work out something together and, tomorrow, Yugi would speak to the girl and apologize for his behavior. The prince sighed, letting his eyes fall shut, cocooned in warmth from the dragon.

It seemed that he had just closed his eyes when he felt the comfortable weight on his lap being removed, Yugi opening his eyes as Atem moved his wing. The prince sat up, blinking at Mahad as the knight glared at him. He turned away from the glare, standing up and using Atem to help keep his balance, absently stroking the dragon's muzzle as Atem turned to look at him. The sound of Mahad clearing his throat, alerted Yugi to how the knight saw the interaction between the two. Yugi glanced up, pointedly keeping his hand on Atem.

"It's time." Mahad delivered the message before storming back to the horses. Yugi sighed, getting ready to stand when Atem pushed him back down. Yugi shoved the dragon's head away, standing up and turning to face Atem. He offered the dragon a smile, surprised when Atem whimpered and pressed his head against Yugi.

"Are you okay?" Yugi glanced over at Atem's side, remembering what had drawn the sound out of the dragon before. Atem shook his head, the motion moving Yugi as the dragon got to his feet.

"Don't go, please."

"Atem…"

"Please. It might kill us all."

"That's why you'll be there, to protect me." Yugi offered Atem a smile, the expression fading when the dragon refused to meet his gaze. The prince sighed, shifting so he could look into the dragon's eyes. "If we do this, then you can go back to life as it was meant to be, and I can help all these people who are struggling. Please, just let me do that. It's my duty. His might upholds the weak, remember."

Atem flinched at the reminder before reluctantly nodding. Yugi gave him a last pat before jogging after Mahad, heading for the waiting horses.

* * *

_*hides in bomb shelter to keep fellow Puzzleshippers from finding her* _

_Read and review please. Criticism, as always, is appreciated._


	7. Bonded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Author's Note:** I am aware this is about a day early, but I'm going to be busy all of the day I would usually update. So, instead of making you all wait for Saturday, I'm just updating now. Sorry for the short notice, but I didn't realize how busy I was _until_ I tried to think of a time I could update. Other than that, Happy New Year everyone.

**Author's Note:** I am aware this is about a day early, but I'm going to be busy all of the day I would usually update. So, instead of making you all wait for Saturday, I'm just updating now. Sorry for the short notice, but I didn't realize how busy I was _until_ I tried to think of a time I could update. Other than that, Happy New Year everyone.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I also do not own the lines of poetry that Ryou thinks up here, they are actually from the movie and novelization of Dragonheart. I do, however, own bits of the plot.

**Warnings: **Blood, violence

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* * *

**  
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**Chapter Seven: Bonded**

_   
**Thus the fatal stoke did fall;  
And, with it, undid all.**   
_

Ryou held the bow tightly to him, looking over at Bakura as the two slunk through the shadows. It was the only weapon he had, the only one that he was remotely good at handling. But it still didn't make him feel confident. The poet shifted, earning a glare from Bakura. The thief rolled his eyes and walked back to his lover, placing his hand on Ryou's shoulder. The poet leaned into the contact, looking distractedly at the castle that loomed above them. It was intimidating up close, well built even though the work had been rushed towards the end. But it served its purpose. Once everything was settled, it would be impossible to get in. The four of them had a difficult enough time climbing to the summit without being seen, even though two of them had made the journey plenty of times before. And now all they had to do was wait for the king to arrive, and then kill him.

It was treason. Ryou shivered at the thought. Death for all of them if they were caught. This was the kind of story he would be interesting in reading or writing, never participating. Now he just wanted to go somewhere, run away from this mad scheme and take Bakura with him. While he wasn't ready to face the truth behind his relationship with the male, he wasn't quite ready to leave Bakura behind him to die. There was a part of him that was ready to admit that he was in love with the thief, no matter how much he was annoyed by his mercurial mood swings. But he wasn't ready to admit that; his one fear that he was a quick fling for the thief, even if _he_ wasn't sure if he was using Bakura for a quick fling himself. It was a confusing situation when he sat back to think about it but, in everyday life, it wasn't that complicated.

Bakura made him happy, happier than he had ever been before. And he was sure that Bakura felt the same way, if the soft smiles that were given to him were anything to go by. If only life was simply the both of them being happy. But it wasn't.

Ryou had to work up to a respectable career, which he couldn't do with a thief dogging his heels. And Bakura had to steal to survive, to protect the reputation that he boasted about when not around the knight. There was no way that they could stay together.

If that were true, then why were they both trying their hardest to make this work?

He was pulled out of his thoughts as Bakura tensed, the thief turning to look down the trail with a look of surprise. Ryou followed his gaze, his own mouth dropping open as he watched the black bulk of the dragon emerge, the creature walking dejectedly behind the king and a knight. The poet was pulled abruptly back by his lover, only then realizing that he had been leaning forward to get a better glimpse of the dragon as they walked by. He felt Bakura's hand clamp down over his mouth, the action not necessary. He had no intention of screaming, his mind was too busy rushing over the information. The king had a dragon that he kept by him, a tame dragon. What did that mean for any rebellions or their small attack? Would the dragon obey the orders of the king like theirs did?

A shift in the shadows from beside him brought Mahad out into the open, the knight crouching on the ground as he watched Gozaburo and his escort calmly walk to the castle without a care in the world. The knight inched closer to Bakura and Ryou, motioning for Yugi to join them. The prince scurried over, glancing up at the sky once before kneeling on Ryou's other side. Mahad nodded at the move, making sure to keep his voice low. "When we go inside, aim for killing that dragon. It's the only way to get a sure victory. Don't bother trying to kill the king."

"What kind of rebellion is this if we don't kill the king?" Bakura snapped at the knight, the hand that he kept on Ryou tightening for a moment before relaxing abruptly.

"It is the only way, thief. Unless you are willing to risk your own life?" Bakura turned away at the comment, staring angrily at the gate to the castle. Mahad nodded, shifted a bit. "The dragon will keep most of the reinforcements away from us the best it can. But we can only depend on it for so long."

Ryou grimaced at the orders, reaching back into his quiver of arrows to make reassure himself that they were still there. The bow had only been used for hunting before he met Bakura, happily passing the job off to the thief who enjoyed the sight of blood. It had never been used to kill a person, let alone a dragon. Ryou stared at his weapon, catching sight of Bakura as the thief crossed his arms across his chest. "Can we trust the dragon?"

"We can trust, Atem." All eyes turned to the prince who had is head tipped back to look at the sky, probably tracking the dragon's progress. Ryou glanced up himself, squinting through the dark to try and see the dragon, but only saw the stars. He scowled and looked back down, wishing that he was only watching the battle. From a safe distance he could observe and take notes so he could remember this event forever. Instead, he was being thrown into battle, possibly to death. Then his great work would never be seen to read. Maybe he should have listened to Bakura and let them travel on. But his urge to get this story still remained, because the tale was getting more interesting. Bakura was right, there had never been a story like this. And he wouldn't have missed this for the world.

Well…the battle he could live without.

Ryou was jolted out of his thoughts as he was suddenly pulled into a hug by the thief. He was about to question the actions when Bakura gave him a quick kiss before pulling away. Ryou remained crouched on the ground, blinking as he watched Bakura slink after Mahad and Yugi before shrugging his shoulders and following them. He moved quickly to Bakura's side, sticking by his lover as they moved toward the gate. He glanced up at the battlements, startled to find that there were no guards. He supposed that they were busy with all the workings of the inner castle or slacking off because they would not get scolded for their negligence this time. The reason, he quickly decided, didn't matter. At least they were able to sneak in.

Ryou adjusted his grip on his bow, placing an arrow on the string and letting his fingers fall into their much practiced places. A smile appeared on is face as they stepped through the open gates, his mind already composing poetry about this event.

'_Into the mouth of death we strode,  
Into the gringy gloom,  
Into the pit of fear unknown,  
Perhaps to court our doom._

_'In the darkness stygian befell,  
The fate of warriors bold,  
With our hearts in fearful accord  
And left them lifeless cold.'  
_

He tensed as he stepped from the shadow of the gate, looking to one side and the clanking of chains. The poet raised his bow, pulling the string back at a nod from Mahad. Surprisingly, his hand remained steady as he took aim at the dragon's heart. Ryou slowly exhaled, releasing the string with the motion, and cursing as Gozaburo moved, placing himself in the way. The king looked up at the sound of the arrow's release, but didn't turn around in time, the arrowhead finding its mark in his shoulder. Man and dragon screamed in pain, the sound bringing reinforcements from the castle.

* * *

Yugi brought his sword up in a sloppy block, wincing at the vibration that the impact caused. He shoved the man away, stumbling back to Mahad. The two knights had rushed forward to cover the thief and the poet as the men had come rushing out of the castle at the screams of pain, hoping that Ryou could get off another shot. If all went well, they would slay the dragon at a distance and run before they could be boxed in. Bakura would protect Ryou as best as he could, a second line of defense if the knights fell. Which wouldn't happen. Yugi hoped that simple fact would be true with his whole heart and soul.

He yelped and pivoted away from the next attack, realizing that he had allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts. His move also brought him out of the way of the dark flames that poured from the sky as Atem dove. Yugi reached up to touch the dragon's scales as Atem moved past, angling his wings to climb back up into the sky. The prince took a quick look at the fire barrier before running to stand beside Ryou as the poet fumbled for another arrow. Atem's attack had split Gozaburo's forces, meaning that there were fewer men to worry about. The thought brought a smile to the prince's face, there was a better chance of them getting out of this alive now. Yugi moved through the motions of fighting, his eyes flicking up every once and a while to see if Atem was going to swoop down again.

A touch on his shoulder spun him around, sword at the ready. The look on Ryou's face made him lower his sword, stepping out of the way so Bakura could lunge forward with one of his daggers, the thief smirking as another fell. The poet steered them away from the falling body, brown eyes wide in fear. "I'm out of arrows."

Bakura cursed before backing toward them, nervously flipping a dagger in one hand. Yugi looked frantically around, spotting Atem plunging down again, the dragon gathering up men in his claws before taking off and dropping them from the sky. The prince turned away from the sight, his eyes falling on the dragon who was chained down. He pushed away from Ryou, easily shaking off the poet's hands as he ran for the creature. It was the only way to end this thing, at least according to Mahad. It was the only way to save all of them. Yugi ducked a blow to his head, focusing more on running than fighting. He was the only one who could do this, Mahad was too busy somewhere else and Bakura wouldn't leave Ryou. He could depend on Atem to help him in any horrible situation.

He sprinted past the confused men, looking up with a smile as he saw Atem swooping down to skim over the ground close by him. Breathlessly, Yugi pointed in the direction he was going, the dragon giving a curt nod before turning, Yugi having to duck to avoid the down beat of the wings. The prince looked at the dragon, watching as Atem landed, throwing back his head and roaring, the sound scattering the men. He got a clear view of Mahad and Lector locked in combat on the other side of Atem, neither of the two men looking up at the sound of the dragon. Yugi shook his head, the motion flinging his bangs from his eyes and plunged ahead.

He skidded to an awkward stop, ducking under a swinging blade. Yugi flinched as he felt liquid fall on him, grunting as something hit his back. The prince stumbled forward, turning around to watch in horror as an arm rolled down his back, the body of the man who attempted to attack him scattered across the courtyard. Yugi looked up at Atem, watching as the dragon drew back his hand, part of the man's torso still stuck to a claw. The dragon hissed in displeasure and shook the body off, turning to glare at the other humans. Yugi took advantage of their distraction and covered the short distance to the dragon, kneeling down by the dragon's head and running a hand over its muzzle.

The prince stumbled backwards, nearly dropping his sword as the dragon opened its eyes, the deep brown irises staring back accusingly at him. The dragon slowly lifted its head, the chains that held it to the ground not fixed in place. Yugi took a step back as the dragon loomed over him, eyes travelling over the dragon and getting wider as he did so. This dragon was almost identical to Atem, lacking red tint to the scales and slightly bigger than Atem. And, with the flames flickering over the courtyard, Yugi sometimes glimpsed a hint of red in the dark brown eyes. The dragon hissed at him, displaying long teeth. Yugi almost cowered, but puffed his chest up and glared right back, daring the creature to attack. When the dragon hesitated, Yugi dropped the point of his sword, making sure he was no longer a threat. "We want to help you."

The dragon scoffed, lowering its head to stare at Yugi. "What could you do to help me, human? You came here to kill me because it would kill the man you call king."

"Yes." Yugi glanced over at Atem, biting his lip as the black and red dragon curled around Ryou and Bakura to protect them, earning a long cut on his foreleg for his actions. Yugi clenched one hand into a fist at the pained bellow that Atem gave, the other dragon turning to look in the direction the sound came from, eyes widening as it noticed Atem for the first time. Yugi turned away, reaching out for the dragon, wincing as his hand came in contact with the dragon's hide. It wasn't as soft or warm as Atem's was, the sensation not pleasant to Yugi. He was almost tempted to draw his hand away, but the confused look of the dragon made him keep his hand there. Yugi gave the creature a smile, "But I don't want to kill you if I don't have to. I've seen enough dragons die."

The dragon sighed, shifting slightly to expose his chest to Yugi. The prince looked at the dragon in confusion, not understanding what the dragon meant by the motion. The dragon sighed, eyes roving until they landed on Atem again. "How is my son?"

"Your son…" Yugi glanced over at the red and black dragon, comprehension slowly dawning. "Atem is…alright."

"Alright?"

Yugi struggled to find words to explain. "He would be better if the knights stopped coming after him. I think it drives him a little crazy, and he's afraid because he doesn't know what he will do."

"His temper always did get the better of him sometimes." The dragon let out a wry chuckle, his gaze finally leaving Atem and turning to Yugi. "Thank you, little prince. I'm sure your mother would have been proud."

"Would have-"

"Now," the dragon interrupted him before Yugi could complete his question, "I am ready to die." It raised one claw against the beginning of Yugi's protest. "This is the only way out for many of us. Your people will be free from their horrid king and I will be free of these chains. So long as I live, that man lives. And, Atem will be safe. That's all I want."

Yugi brought up his sword, staring at the point in horror. The dragon was asking for death, and he was the only one closest enough to grant its wishes, but he had never seen himself as a dragon-slayer. He had hated Mahad for what the knight was doing, and now he was about to do the same thing. And what would Atem think of him? Atem hadn't been told of their plan before, just sent away with his orders. Could Atem ever forgive him if Yugi killed his father? The point of his sword started trembling as Yugi thought it over, his resolve disappearing swiftly. He couldn't do this.

"Please, little prince." Yugi turned his head away, letting his sword point fall again. He heard the dragon whimper, the chains rattling as it moved closer. He tensed as the dragon spoke again, all the pleading gone from it's voice. "If you don't strike now, prince, I will make you."

"I can't."

"You must!" Yugi scrambled backwards as the dragon snapped at him, yelping when he hit the ground, his sword clattering away. He scrambled to his feet, watching as the dragon pulled its head up. He lunged for his sword as the dragon struck again, rolling across the ground and yelping again as he cut his palm on the edge of his blade. Yugi snatched up the sword, glancing down at his cut hand before looking back up at the dragon. The creature hissed, straining against his chains as Yugi brought the sword up to guard. He could hear the sound of the dragon's teeth scraping over the iron, his knees shaking as the force that the creature was exerting became too much. Yugi fell to his knees, looking up at the dragon from the cover of his bangs. He saw something move through the smoke that was rising from the flames, a smile breaking out on his face as he recognized Atem. Yugi didn't get the chance to call out as the dragon forced him onto his back, the sword still up to protect him.

"Yugi!" The dragon turned, moving away from Yugi so it could stare at its son, brown eyes widening. Atem looked between his father and Yugi before growling, wings moving slightly from his sides as he advanced. The dragons didn't get a chance to exchange words before Atem suddenly bellowed in pain, quickly lifting off the ground and circling above the battle. Yugi sat up, searching for the thing that had injured Atem, but was forced back onto his back as Gozaburo ran over, the king's sword held at Yugi's throat.

"Didn't you hear my warning before, brat?" Yugi panicked, kicking Gozaburo's legs out from underneath him before scrambling to his feet, backing around the dragon. The king slowly got to his feet, following Yugi with a predatory slink. The prince found himself trembling as he became the focus of the icy blue eyes. He jumped as Gozaburo lunged forward, swinging his blade across his body to stop the attack. The swords clanged together, a few sparks flying from the force of the blow. Yugi stumbled back a few steps under the impact, hurriedly bringing his sword up to parry again. Yugi was forced closer to the walls, finding himself only able to defend. His violet eyes were wide with fear, breath coming in quick pants as Gozaburo came at him again, the prince barely getting his blade up in time to block the attack. Frantic to escape from being pinned, Yugi lunged forward, the tip of his blade breaking the skin, on the king's arm.

Gozaburo stumbled back, screaming in pain. Yugi took the moment to breathe, his relief short lived as Lector jumped over the dragon's thrashing tail to charge at Yugi. The prince yelped and turned around to parry the new attack. From over the sounds of men screaming and the crackle of flames, he could barely heard Mahad shouting his name as the knight circled around the dragon, rushing from the front of the creature. Yugi took Lector's moment of distraction to attack, changing the motion halfway through to hold the sword awkwardly above his head to block the strike that Lector cobbled together at the last minute. He gasped as Lector suddenly grabbed his wrists, the action making Yugi's drop his sword. Lector leered at him as he stretched Yugi's wrists above his head, making the prince stand on his tip-toes to avoid pain. Lector laughed at the horrified look on Yugi's face, his eyes darting to someone that was behind Yugi. The prince never got a chance to turn his head.

Yugi jerked forward in the hold, coughing and gasping for air at the same time, the metallic tang of blood invading his mouth. Dazedly, Yugi looked down, staring at the sword that stuck out of his chest. From behind him, he could hear Gozaburo laughing, Lector dropping his wrists and allowing him to slump forward. Yugi felt himself tip forward, his fall stopped by an arm around his stomach. Slowly, Yugi turned his head to look at Gozaburo, his vision fading in and out as pain made it impossible to think. The king smirked at him, leaning on the sword so that it slid further into Yugi, laughing as the prince gave a gasp, the only sound he was capable of making. "I warned you."

His eyes widened as Gozaburo roughly yanked the sword from his body, falling onto his knees without anything to support him. His hand went up to the left side of his chest, pulling it away to stare numbly at the blood that coated his palm. Yugi swayed before falling forward onto all fours, gasping for air. Slowly, the world around him began to fade away, the sense of touch going first. Then smell, the iron tang of blood disappearing from the air and leaving complete nothingness. He turned his head at the faint call of someone, his brain working for the name of the voice before sound disappeared altogether. Yugi's vision began to blacken around the edges, lasting long enough to see a large black shape appear beside him before he slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

Atem pulled his injured foot up, licking the wound and glaring down at the ground as he circled above the fight. He should have known better than to be distracted, Gozaburo wouldn't have gotten him. He hissed at himself before flapping to gain more altitude, scanning the running people below him as he determined where he was needed the most. Bakura and Ryou were struggling away from the gate for reasons that Atem couldn't fathom. Why wouldn't they be taking this chance to escape? Mahad was sure to kill the dragon below. Atem winced at the thought, not liking the idea that he helped in the slaying of his father. But he hadn't been told about the plan, assuming that Mahad would not know about the dragon that Gozaburo kept. He had been wrong. And now his father was trying to kill Yugi.

He turned in the air, scanning the ground below. He spotted Mahad, running around his father and heading for the back wall. The move made no sense to Atem. Mahad could only get himself cornered back there, which was against the whole point of their plan. They all wanted to get out alive so they could install Yugi as the king to this small kingdom, effectively stealing away the human that Atem was starting to feel affection toward. Atem turned his head, spotting the prince as one of the knights under Gozaburo yanked his wrists above his head. Atem had a second to ponder this before Gozaburo moved behind Yugi, plunging his sword into the prince's chest. He couldn't move as the two pulled away from Yugi letting the prince fall to his hands and knees, blood staining his shirt.

Then the ear splitting bellow came, Atem too far gone to realize that it was his own. The dragon plummeted to the ground, landing hard on the cobblestones and immediately shifting to stand over Yugi. He snarled at the men who were beginning to move closer. He didn't care why they were approaching them, all he knew was that they all deserved to die. Every last human that was in this castle. Atem snarled, pulling up his head and calling flames up into the back of his throat, taking a single step forward before letting them lose. Men screamed as the dark fire tumbled to the ground, eagerly licking at clothes and flesh. Atem turned his head, tail whipping angrily as he saw one man still running up toward them. He lowered his head, snarling as the knight didn't stop in his advance, trying to get past Atem and to Yugi. The dragon roared, shifting his weight so he could use one hand to flick the knight away, smirking as the man tumbled back into the wall and went limp.

He snarled at the man, scanning the area around him before letting out another stream of fire, enclosing him in a circle of flames, protecting him for the moment. Atem snorted and turned, curling his tail around Yugi as he leaned down, gently nudging the prince with his muzzle. He got a dull cough, the sound coming with a slow wheeze as Yugi exhaled. Atem's eyes widened at the sickening scent of blood that surrounded the prince, his mind refusing to believe that Yugi was close to death. Yugi couldn't die, he wasn't going to let that happen!

Gently, Atem nudged Yugi into one of his hands, standing up onto his hind legs and taking to the air. He needed to take them to a safe place, somewhere they would not be easily found. He flapped as fast as he could, feeling his heart beating frantically against his chest as he carried Yugi away. The dragon whimpered as he looked down at the human that he carried, realizing how fragile Yugi was. It didn't take a lot to break him, a simple action that Atem could replicate the force of easily. And it scared him. He didn't have the best control over his temper, he could have easily been the reason that Yugi was broken. He ducked his head, vision blurring as tears came to his eyes. Atem quickly found an open space to land, not wanting to endanger his precious load further.

He nudged Yugi back onto the ground, rolling the prince over to his back to stare at the wound. It was fatal, he knew that much. The sword had gone all the way through Yugi's body, probably through the heart. And yet Yugi was still hanging on, just barely. The dragon whimpered at the pitiful sight of the human struggling to breathe as he bled out. Yugi's eyes opened slowly, Atem quickly curling around the human as Yugi's hand twitched to reach him. He lowered his head, resting it against Yugi's side. Atem could feel Yugi's fingers brushing against the side of his face as the human struggled to stay alive, holding his own breath as the movement stopped. Atem looked up, whimpering as he saw that Yugi wasn't moving, a vacant look in the usually bright violet eyes.

"Yugi?" Atem nuzzled the human's side, breath catching in his throat as there was no movement. He moved his muzzle, manipulating the hand closest to him until it was resting on him, waiting for Yugi to acknowledge his presence. But there was nothing. Atem sat up, feeling tears forming in his eyes as he looked down on the prince, tilting his head to the side as he waiting for movement. It was a moment later that he was finally able to comprehend what had happened. Yugi was dead, he didn't save him. Atem gave a keen of sorrow, lowering his head until it resting against his chest. "No, Yugi. Please don't leave me. _Please._"

He winced as his stomach rolled, reacting to his highly emotional state. Atem stumbled away from Yugi, growling as he dug his claws into the ground, physically bracing himself against the pain. He trembled through the first few pangs before relaxing, turning to look at Yugi. If only the human had killed his father, then they wouldn't be in this situation. Atem was ready to lose his father, knowing that the elder dragon would eventually pass away. He would have left his father's cave eventually, seeking his own home and a mate; and never turning back. But he wasn't ready to lose Yugi. Atem shuddered as the next bout of pain rushed through him, leaving him gasping for air as he stared at Yugi. Slowly, an idea moved through his fogged mind.

His father had saved Gozaburo when the man had a similar injury. He had given Gozaburo half of his heart. Maybe it would work. And if not…

"Wait." Atem dragged himself back to Yugi's side, a whimper dragged out of him as his stomach protested the move. "Just wait for me, Yugi. You said you trusted me, believed in me. Please."

He flared his wings out for balance and reached up one hand to rest over his heart, closing his eye to listen to it's beat. His claws gently pried up the scale, revealing skin. Atem took a deep breath and plunged two claws into his skin, easily ripping a hole over his beating heart. Blood trickled over his claws as he rocked forward, gasping for breath around the double assault of pain from his stomach and chest. He shook his head, moving his hand until a third claw slid into the slit, hissing with the motion before the claws closed around his heart. Atem paused there, taking a few deep breaths before clamping the claws around his heart and splitting the organ in half. He quickly closed his claws around the half as he pitched forward, incapable of anything as he rode out the wave of pain. Almost instinctually, he called on magic to heal the severed heart, black tendrils slipping through the wound in his chest as he pulled the other half out, staring at the pulsing red light that he held in his claws.

Groaning, Atem took an awkward step so he was hovering over the prince, carefully lowering the heart into Yugi's chest. Black tendrils rose from the ground, wrapping around the bright light and combining the dragon's heart with the damaged heart still in Yugi's chest. Atem set his hand down, ignoring the blood that was drying on his claws as he panted for breath. The heart in Yugi's chest gave a faint beat as the tendrils released their hold, slowly beginning to beat as the magic pulled away from him. Atem drew in a deep breath, quickly cauterizing the wound on Yugi's chest before flipping the human onto his side and sealing the wound on Yugi's back. Atem let the prince fall back to the ground, the slight jar making Yugi blink weakly, the prince's body still trying to start functioning again. The dragon sighed, smoothing the scale on his chest back over the scar, closing his eyes as he was finally able to breath properly, a smile flitting across his muzzle. "Half my heart to make you whole. My strength to purify your weakness. Your light to chase away my darkness."

"Atem?" Yugi's weak voice reached his ears, making the dragon open his eyes and lower his head so Yugi could reach up and touch his muzzle. He grunted as the pain in his stomach made itself known, the sound causing concern to appear in Yugi's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Atem flipped over a hand, letting Yugi use his head to stand up and lean against as he stumbled over to the outstretched hand. The prince collapsed again, holding onto a claw as Atem stood up, flapping his wings experimentally before looking down at Yugi. "We have to get out of here."

"Did we fail?"

Atem nodded, leaping from the ground as he flapped, the usual jolt minimized by this method of takeoff. Yugi was still rocked forward by the motion, clinging onto the claw to stay upright. The dragon flapped to gain altitude, wishing for the thermals that would allow easier travel. He had to get Yugi out of the kingdom for a while, long enough for them both to recover and spend the winter before they came back. Atem turned his head, automatically heading for the grounds where his family had spent the first winters of his life. If his memory was correct, there would be humans and dragons there; and the winter wouldn't be as harsh, which is what both Yugi and he needed. Considering how he was feeling and their rate of flight, Atem could probably reach the middle of the territory in a few days. But he didn't feel like leaving their lives up to chance. Gozaburo might send knights out to get them. And he had just gotten Yugi back.

The dragon pulled out of the hover he had put himself in, turning toward their destination, breathing a sigh of relief at the tailwind that they had. This would help if his plan worked. If he pull at his energy into flying and didn't stop all night, they could probably get there sometime in the next day, which was better. Atem nodded to himself, glancing down at the now sleeping Yugi before beginning to speed forward. The wind at his back assisted, but he could already feel the strain. He wasn't in any condition to make this kind of flight, he would have just spent the winter in abject misery in his cave and only flown when he had to catch prey. He had already been flying around too much, using what little energy he had managed to gather in producing flame and fighting against humans. Not to mention whatever was happening with his stomach. He hoped that it didn't get worse in flight, he didn't want to drop Yugi. He glanced down at the countryside speeding along below him, the trees blurs in the darkness.

He slowly raised his eyes, focusing them on the horizon as he pushed himself to greater speed, knowing that he would be sore when they landed. He only remembered going this fast when he was young and racing Kisara around the old ruins that scattered the hills. He winced at the thought of his old friend, knowing that he was leaving her behind, even after he promised to watch over her. But there was nothing else that he could do. The knights were always coming after him and Gozaburo knew that he had fallen in with Yugi and Mahad, which meant that he would be hunted until the end of his days. Kisara was much better protected by her human than him. She could probably lay low long enough for someone to kill Gozaburo. Then he could find her and apologize for running off when she probably needed him the most. But he had his own human to take care of. Kisara would understand.

The miles and hours passed, all counted down to the beat of his wings. The sun was beginning to rise when Atem had to adjust his course, now pulling away from the helpful wind to begin to make his way across the forests that boarded on the plains. He saw the flicker of faint sunlight on the river that wove lazily through the last of the forest, knowing that its path led through the plains, passing through the scrubland and making a dark track through the desert before reaching the ocean. Somewhere out on the plains, there would be people willing to take care of Yugi. And there would be dragons willing to help them both. And if things got too bad, Atem could always drag himself out to the desert and spend a few days soaking up heat so his body wouldn't be forced to produce heat by making fire. And they would be left in peace by Gozaburo, the nomadic people hard to capture on their own lands with dragons as allies.

Sunlight poured over them, allowing Atem the use of thermals as he drove himself on, now panting for air as he continued at his breakneck pace, wanting to fly until he spotted the human clans before thinking of landing. The light as well as the cool air must have woken Yugi, because the prince blinked blearily up at him, a smile slowly making its way across his face. Atem gave a weak smile back, forcing himself to keep flying even though his muscles were protesting and his wing beats were becoming increasingly shaky. To make it worse, the stomach pain was back, even worse than before. Atem gritted his teeth against the pain, his eyes closing for a moment as he tried not to make a noise, his altitude dropping as a result. Yugi jolted forward, wrapping his arms around a claw. Atem felt the prince stiffen, glancing back down to see Yugi staring at his claws in horror. "Atem…is that blood?"

"_Yes_." Atem clamped his mouth shut immediately after the word, holding back the whimper that he felt coming. He opened his eyes, not realizing that he had shut them. They were almost there, he could see the smoke from fires. Distantly on the horizon, he could see dragons as they rode the morning thermals, probably hunting before going out to the desert. There were more than he expected, although the exact reason escaped him at the moment. He glanced down again, judging the distance. Just a few more minutes, if he could hold out that long. His head dropped forward, resting against his chest as he panted for air.

"Atem?" He felt Yugi's hand against his foreleg before his muscles gave out, quavering before cramping and sending him plummeting to the ground. He heard Yugi squeak in fear as he closed his claws gently around the human, keeping his wings spread in the hopes that he would have a gently glide to the ground. But they wouldn't stay out, the wings starting to fold inward as the muscles refused to work. Atem snarled, flipping himself over at the last minute so he would bear the brunt of the fall instead of Yugi.

The breath was knocked out of him as he hit the ground, landing awkwardly on one wing. He felt pain lance through his shoulder at the move, thankful that the wing hadn't broken on the impact. His relief was short lived as his momentum caused him to bounce once before sliding across the ground, throwing him onto his side and spilling Yugi out of his hand.

Dust puffed up around him as he finally slid to a stop, groaning at the various pains that made themselves known. From somewhere behind him, Atem heard Yugi cry out in pain, worry getting the best of him. Had the fall undone everything? Was Yugi dying again? Atem tried to get up, falling back to the ground as his legs refused to support him. He crashed back to earth, breathing heavily. Everything hurt, he whimpered at the thought as well as the pain, closing his eyes as his stomach began to act up again. He clawed at the ground, finding a good hold as the pain began to race through him, this time not letting up. He thrashed on the ground, trying to ease the pain as it slowly took over his mind. His world was fading in and out of focus, sounds strangely distorted as his stomach tried to rip itself apart. Atem lost the fight to keep silently and keened in pain, one hind leg twitching as he fought the urge to rip at his stomach.

"Atem!" His eyes shot open, only now realizing that Yugi had been calling his name. The human was standing in front of him, rubbing the spot above his eye with one hand while the other was held over his own stomach. The pain stopped long enough for Atem to have one moment of clear thought. If his father felt the pain for when Gozaburo was injured, then the opposite would be the same. Which meant that his stomach pain was hurting Yugi although, apparently, the human wasn't getting the full amount. As quickly as it had come, his moment of clear thought was gone and he was thrashing again, whimpering and pleading for the pain to go away. Even Yugi's touch was fading away.

He wasn't sure whether it lasted hours or minutes, but finally his body quit on him, unable to move as the pain rolled through. Atem whimpered, pushing his head closer to Yugi. He was barely hanging onto his sanity at the moment, clinging to the comfort that was offered to him by the human. The pain let up again, allowing him time to think. He glanced up at Yugi, watching as the prince cautiously wrapped his arms around Atem's muzzle, hugging the dragon as he fought back tears. Atem gave a soft trill, hoping to comfort his human. Yugi was probably scared and confused. He had woken up in a strange place and was in pain for no reason. And Atem could do nothing about it but thrash around on the ground with the dim hope that it would all end soon. He rolled so his was leaning against his elbow, the motion allowing him to meet Yugi's gaze, although the prince didn't let go of his hold. The dragon sighed, and leaned into the hug. "Yugi…"

At the sound of his name, Yugi pressed closer to Atem, the sobs trailing off. The dragon let him have his moment, making the soft rumble that seemed to comfort the human, convincing him to let go of Atem and sit on the ground. Exhausted, Atem allowed himself to collapse again, shifting his head so that he could look at Yugi. The prince gave him a wavering smile, eyes drifting along the dragon's body until they landed on his front claws, eyes going wide as the human spotted the dried blood. Atem wasn't sure how much Yugi remembered from the battle, or if he even remembered the fight. He gave a trill to call Yugi's attention back to him, ready to find out what the human was thinking. He didn't get a chance to speak as the pain returned.

He whimpered and curled up, digging one set of claws into the ground in a futile attempt to keep himself from tearing at his stomach. He opened one eye at the light touch on his neck, rolling it so he could see Yugi. The human placed another hand on the dragon, looking frantic. Atem tried to speak, the words lost in a roar of pain, the sound echoing easily over the open country as he finally went limp. Now he could only flinch as the pain rolled through, each wave allowing more darkness to eat away at his vision. Soon, Yugi was lost to the darkness that was consuming him. Atem moaned, listening to Yugi scramble around to find a better place to stand. He felt the human clamber over his neck, Yugi pulling his muzzle back into a tight hug and holding him there. Atem felt tears splash onto his face as Yugi stroked the scales he could reach. "What's wrong? What can I do for you?"

Atem had no energy to respond, just concentrating on trying to slow his breathing. He gave a weak cough and shifted his head, feeling Yugi follow the motion. Atem gritted his teeth, his throat sore from his screams of pain. He just wanted it all to end, just wanted to give into the unconsciousness that beckoned to him. But he kept being dragged back into consciousness by the pain. He resigned himself to this fate, eyes finally closing.

He whimpered as Yugi suddenly pulled away, feeling the cold air that rushed over him as something large flew over them. Atem forced his eyes open, his vision clearing enough for him to get a quick glance at the dragon that had landed beside him, two others circling for their chance to land. His vision wavered again, sending him back into darkness. Atem whimpered, the sound calling Yugi back to his side, the human reaching out to pet Atem's cheek. He heard the other dragons approaching, eyes widening as he realized that they were much larger than him. If they weren't friendly, then they were both doomed. But if they suspected that Yugi had done this to him…

Atem lifted his head from the ground, finding the other dragons by the sound of their movement and growled as they approached, trying to get his body to curl around Yugi. The prince seemed to sense his intentions and huddled close to Atem's side, wrapping his arms around Atem's foreleg and holding on as the dragons approached. The show of force lasted for a depressingly short time as Atem ran out of energy and just let his head fall back to the ground with a groan. Then, Yugi was pulling away from his side and rushing over to stand in front of him. Atem whimpered, trying to bring the human back to safety, but Yugi ignored him. "Stay away from him!"

"Why, little human? Can you not see that he's in pain?" Atem almost recognized the voice of the dragon, unable to place it with his pain fogged mind. Atem heard Yugi shift, stepping back so he could rest a hand on the dragon's head. He rolled his eyes to where he thought Yugi was, cursing the pain that kept him unable to see properly. He was granted a moment of blissful contact with his human before Yugi was shoved away, the yelp from him causing Atem to snap his head up with a growl, the sound dying almost immediately. He whimpered, the sound cut off by a soft croon from the dragon that was looming over him. "Don't worry, little one. We'll help you."

He felt himself being lifted from the ground, his claws scrambling to hold on. It was worse being unable to see what was going on, the dragon's hold on him putting pressure on his stomach. Atem keened in pain, the sound drawing the dragon's attention back to him. There was a growl from the dragon before another voice intruded on the sound. "You can't take him!"

"And why not, human?"

"You'll have to take me too!" Atem would have smiled at the strength that Yugi was showing. The dragon who was holding him apparently thought the human's protests over before turning its head to motion one of the other dragons over.

"Take this human back to camp with us, since he refuses to leave this dragon." There was anger in the dragon's voice, the tone making Atem fear for Yugi's life. "Maybe then you can see the harm you have done to him."

Atem heard a snarl as one of the dragons moved toward Yugi, putting out his own weak protest as he heard Yugi scream and the brush of cold air over him as the dragon took off. Frantic, Atem tried to follow the sound of the retreating dragon, jerking back to a limp state as the dragon who was holding him took off. He closed his eyes, whimpering and wishing that all of this would just go away. He flinched as the dragon that was carrying him looked down at him, offering what it thought was comfort. "Don't worry, little one, he won't hurt you anymore."

* * *

Tèa led the horse back to her own village, limping slightly. She gave the run down houses a furtive look, wondering how she was going to explain the presence of a horse of obvious well breeding to her friends. Better yet, how was she going to explain how she had gathered her impressive collection of bruises. She rubbed her arms at the thought, glancing at the black and blue marks in the dim hope that they would just disappear. But it was only wishful thinking. She sighed and looked back up, stopping in her tracks as her eyes fell upon three familiar animals.

Picketed in the shadows of one of the shacks were the mule, palomino and brown horse from the village before, too distinctive to be forgotten. Tèa led her own horse over and tied it nearby the others, hoping that the plan would work. She gave the animal a fond pat on the muzzle, wishing that she had some tidbit to spare to thank it for its help. After all, the horse had carried her from the castle to the other village and then back again when the sun had risen.

She walked away from the horse and through the village, wrapping her arms around herself as she remembered the night before. It wasn't that bad, she knew that much. It probably would have been smarter if she had waited before forcing herself into another sexual encounter. But the perfect situation had come up, and she had taken advantage of it. Who knew when the prince would ride back through the same village she was in. When his mentor had pushed him onward, it had been too perfect to pass up, no matter how much her body protested.

And the prince had turned out to be a good lover. Tèa blushed at the memory of violet eyes looking down at her in the midst of passion. Cautiously, she raised one hand to rest on her cheek, like the motion could wipe the color away from her face. She shouldn't be blushing, it meant that she was starting to care. And she couldn't afford to care about him. She was just using him to help bring all those she loved out from under the thumb of Gozaburo.

Tèa dropped her hand to her side with a muttered curse, staring at her bare feet as she walked into the deserted village square. She was _not_ supposed to be falling for the prince. It would hinder her plan. She could _not_ develop any feelings for any sovereign who would continue to hurt them. The prince was the son of a witch, and could not be trusted.

If that was the case, then why did she want to trust him? Why did she want to stay by his side and get to know him better? Why did she still want him?

It was too confusing to think about right now, her primary focus being to alert her friends that she was alright and what Gozaburo had done to her, hopefully leaving her rape out of it. If they heard about that, then it would be hard to trust her on the lineage of her child…if there even was a child. Tèa glanced down at her flat stomach, chewing on her lower lip. Well, the prince was in her village now. There could be a second chance no matter how much her body protested. After all, how much was she worth now? She could never get a good husband, not with her conscious nagging at her about her spoiled status. This was the only chance she had at gaining a bit of that life that she still craved.

"Tèa!" She looked up quickly at the sound of Serenity's shout. The brunette smiled, even though the teenage girl couldn't see it, and knelt down on the ground to hug Serenity close. She winced a bit at the impact, keeping a hold of Serenity's arm as the girl pulled back. "You're hurt."

"It's nothing-"

"Serenity!" Joey came running after his sister, relaxing when he saw who she was with. The blond knelt down next to them, gathering up his sister in his arms and walking quickly away. Tèa hesitated before falling into step beside her friend, resting a hand on his arm.

"What's going on, Joey? Where is everyone?"

The blonde looked around cautiously before leaning close to Tèa, keeping his voice low. "There was an attack on the castle last night, a bad one. We could see the flames from down here. Some people even say that they saw a dragon flying above the castle."

Tèa stiffened, her hand rubbing her arm. She felt Joey's gaze land on her as they paused at the entrance to Joey's shack. He mutely pulled aside the ratty cloth that served as a door and let her duck into the darkness first, following after with Serenity. Tèa blinked to adjust her eyes, quickly stepping out of the way to allow Joey to return to his seat on the ground. She raised a hand to wave at Tristan and Duke before joining them on the ground, staring numbly at her hands. "My assassination attempt failed."

"I'm not surprised." Tristan scoffed at her before his expression softened. "What happened?"

Realizing that that was the extent of the scolding that she would receive, Tèa glanced down at her arms with a wince. "I had some problems getting out of the castle. They nearly caught me."

"Were you involved in," Joey pointed in the direction of the white castle. She shook her head, noticing that all three of the young men relaxed.

"No, I was in and out of the old castle in a night. I ran for the next village over. I was," Tèa bit her lip and looked at the ground, "kind of embarrassed that I didn't succeed after all that talk, so I found a place to hide for a bit."

"It's good that you did, or else you would have been here when we all panicked." Tristan shook his head and looked over at Duke, the two of them sharing a shiver. "It was madness. People thought the world was ending and five were killed."

"Which ones?" Tèa leaned forward, her eyes wide in shock. She hadn't seen any of the bodies, which would have been the usual attitude toward deaths in panic. They must have worked quickly, which meant they thought that a noble would ride through the next day.

"One complete family, one of the newer ones and Joey's father." They all looked at Joey, who shrugged and cuddled Serenity closer, the only sign that he was disturbed by the news.

"He wanted it. His life was miserable and he kept saying that, so maybe it's better that he's gone." Joey looked to the door before looking back at the rest of the group, the motion giving him time to remove any trace of remorse in his eyes. They were all used to death, but it still never stopped hurting. "But, I'm glad that you were safe, Tèa. So, what kept you in that village for a whole day, meet a man?"

Tèa blushed at the implications behind Joey's question, letting the blonde push the conversation back to her to remove the weight from him. His father had become a sore point for him after that first failed rebellion. It was better to let the blonde get over the death in his own way instead of forcing him to face it. She smiled to herself before wrapping her hands around her knees. "Yes."

"Really?" All three men leaned forward, eyes wide as they looked at her. They all knew about her romantic notions of finding true love from the many afternoons they spent teasing her about such ideas. They had never thought that she would actually settle for one guy.

She nodded, moving a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes with the motion away. "I met the prince."

"And he kept you there…all day and night." Duke raised his eyebrows at the last part of the statement, his smile turning into a smirk. They expected her to back down now, throw out her usual line about them all being perverts. But she wasn't going to.

"Yes." Her voice was quiet, but she glared at the boys as they tried to hold back laughter. "He was wonderful. He has these beautiful purple eyes that are so expressive and his voice…and his laugh…" Tèa sighed, unwrapping her arms from around her knees and leaning back on her hands, staring dreamily up at the ceiling of the shack. Even now she could imagine him there, leaning over her with his blonde bangs brushing gently against her face as he reached out to stroke her cheek before sealing his lips over hers in a deep and passionate kiss; his arm wrapping around her waist to hold her up. Tèa sighed at the mental image, tipping her head back a bit further to keep her little fantasy going longer and so she could avoid the stares of the boys.

"Did you and he…" Duke trailed off as Joey sent him a glare, the expression easy to predict. Joey would do anything to protect Serenity's innocence.

Tèa rocked her head back up, a dreamy smile on her face. "Yes. And it was fantastic."

"But I thought that…"

"I found him." Tèa shrugged, one hand draping casually across her stomach as she continued to imagine the prince sitting by her, now holding her close against his chest. She closed her eyes, trying to bring back the memory of his voice, so soft and sweet. Her smile widened as she finally accepted the fact that she had fallen in love with the prince. And, to be perfectly honest, she had ceased to care. Now she only wanted to spend the rest of her life being held by the prince. Being loved by him.

"Tèa." She sat up abruptly at the tone of Joey's voice, knowing that all the men's eyes were staring at the ground. She shifted so she was kneeling with her hand by her knees. Joey avoided her gaze, choosing to stare at the nearest wall. "Lector rode through this morning with the news that the prince was dead."

She swayed at the news, the fragile bubble of joy shattered at the news. Her mouth dropped open as she shook her head. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true.

Joey glanced over at her out of the corner of his eye. "He told us that he had watched the king kill the prince himself. Stabbed right through the heart."

"No." Tèa covered her mouth with one hand, barely noticing that Tristan had moved over so that she could lean against him. Tristan held her close, letting her sob into his shoulder. "But…I love him."

"I'm sorry, Tèa."

She pulled away at the sympathy, wrapped her arms around her stomach as she stared at the floor. Her whole world was falling apart quickly, leaving her clinging to the only thing she was sure of. She looked up as Joey made a surprised noise, shifting Serenity from his lap to lean closer to her. "Tèa, what are you hiding from us?"

"I think I might have made a mistake." She bit her lip as she said those words, shaking her head. What had happened between her and the prince would never be a mistake. It would always be the best moment of her life. But, by the sharp drawn in breath from Joey, he guessed what she meant.

"We'll take care of you. We'll protect you."

Tèa looked up, keeping her arms wrapped around her stomach, tears still falling from her eyes. "Please, don't let them get us."

* * *

_*is still hiding from puzzleshippers*_

_Read and review please. Criticism is always welcome._


	8. Separation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart, they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own bits of the plot.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart, they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own bits of the plot.

**Warning:** Slight amount of blood.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Separation**

**   
_Although it seemed so dark that night,  
There was a speck of hope, of light._   
**

Mahad stared at the back wall of the shack, barely aware of the food that Ryou was shoving at him. He refused to look anywhere but at the wall, misery slowing his thought process. Finally, after hours of silence, Mahad leaned forward and resting his forehead against his one good hand, the other held close to his chest by a sling, and let out a soft moan. He had failed spectacularly. He had failed the people by being unable to kill the king. He had failed himself by once again casting himself into the world as a useless knight. He had failed Aislinn by being unable to protect her son.

Most of all, he had failed Yugi.

He choked back a sob at the thought, the images never leaving his head. He shut his eyes, events still playing behind his closed eyelids.

Yugi getting his wrists grabbed and pulled above his head, the sword falling out of his hands. Gozaburo walking up behind Yugi and driving his sword through Yugi's heart. Yugi collapsing on the ground. Bleeding. Dying.

It was even worse knowing that the dragon had been right.

The dragon had said that the attack would never work; it had said that the attack would be suicidal. And it had been right. It had been able to get to Yugi faster in the end. It had been able to protect Yugi better than Mahad ever could, even to the point of shoving Mahad away. The dragon had held Yugi's attention while Mahad was forced to the background, a place that he wasn't comfortable with. It forced him to remember the last time Yugi had come to him with his problems, halting the thoughts when it brought up the image of a happy smile and sparkling amethyst eyes.

It would have been better if Bakura hadn't dragged him out of the chaos that the dragon had caused. He would have been preferred an honorable death after his prince than live on knowing the true depths of his shame. Now he had nothing but a title that meant nothing, a sword, a horse and a broken arm. Nothing that really mattered anymore.

Mahad looked down at the stale bread in his lap before picking the food up and standing, swaying as his head pounded. He ignored the pain, trying to head back to where he had tied his horse. The knight stopped when Ryou stood up and resting a hand on his uninjured arm, looking over his shoulder at the younger man. The expected question was never voiced, Mahad not trusting his voice. Ryou nodded to himself, seeming to decide something. "Where are you going?"

"Away." He wasn't bothered by the ambiguity of the statement. He would just risk the direction that his horse took, probably heading back to his home in the north. He had no lands of his own like the other knights, just the job of protecting the prince. He could return and help his father with the manor and people, somewhere that would keep him away from anyone that had known him while he was here. Mahad rolled his shoulder, the poet releasing him with the motion.

"But it would make more sense for us to stick together. You can't defend yourself like this."

"I don't care." Mahad walked on, hearing Ryou begin to shout his name before the poet was stopped. The knight didn't have to look back to know that the thief had halted his lover, and he was glad of the action. He didn't want to be followed and his horrible mistakes written down for the rest of the world to remember for eternity.

He walked faster, almost walking into a blonde man as he stepped out of a shack, the younger man escorting a familiar girl out into the open. Mahad paused at the familiar face, meeting the tear-stained blue eyes. He took a step back as the girl pulled away from her companion and stood in front of him.

"Is it true?" He nodded and quickly walked away, nearly running when he reached the horses. He fumbled with the reins, pulling his brown horse away from the others and scrambling up into the saddle. He turned the horse quickly and gave it a harsh kick. The animal started into a gallop, heading north towards the old castle and up into the rainy country. He leaned over the horse's neck, flinching at the sound of the whinny from Yugi's palomino back in the village. He twitched his reins as his own horse tried to respond, urging it to a faster pace. But even the wind that whipped past him couldn't wipe the images from his eyes.

* * *

Bakura led Ryou back to the horses, keeping a strong hold on the poet's wrist to keep him from dashing after the knight. He glared at his lover before tossing him up onto Thoth's back and untying the reins before leading the mule off. The thief paused once, shaking his head at his own foolishness before rushing back to untie the palomino before jumping into the saddle and turning the horse after the mule, who wasn't listening to Ryou's frantic attempts to move it forward. Bakura smiled and leaned down to regain his hold on the reins, leading Thoth away. He looked at the poet out of the corner of his eye, snorting as Ryou scrambled around in the saddle. "Sit still, he doesn't like that!"

"But-"

"That knight has no idea what he is doing. You won't get anything out of him, Ryou." Bakura pulled on the reins, encouraging Thoth to lumber up and stay with the palomino horse. "He's going to hide from the world. It's what his kind does when something like this happens!"

"What else can you do when something like this happens?" The outburst reminded how much Bakura didn't know about Ryou. He stared down at the poet, suddenly wondering where he had come from. He was obviously from some noble family or profession that required learning written letters. And his usual tendency toward polite conversation and behavior was a big indicator that he was once part of that noble caste, but Bakura had never noticed it as that before. He had always thought it was a quirk. He turned his eyes away to look at the road before them.

"You carry on as best you can, because lying down and wishing that you were dead too won't do anything."

"But what if you can't?"

Once again, Bakura found himself staring at Ryou, wishing that he knew more about his lover. He shrugged, making sure to keep eye contact this time. "You force yourself to. Eventually, you won't be able to feel the pain. It's the only thing you can do. Running away only means that the problem is still there, following you."

Ryou looked abruptly away, meaning the Bakura had hit a nerve. The thief was tempted to pull up the horse and force Ryou to talk, wanting to learn more about the past that Ryou was obviously referencing. The brown eyed man stared back at him before giving a harsh shrug, the motion calling the conversation to a close. Bakura dropped his eyes, giving Ryou his own space as he turned to look down the road.

With the conversation over, his mind began to work on the next step. They were bound to be noticed, both sporting distinctive white hair. And there was no hope that Gozaburo would have mercy on them as they had tried to kill him. If anything, the king would squeeze even more out of the peasants, making it impossible for Bakura to ask anything of them. He had come from stock like this and understood what fear could do to people. He would not ask them to do such things.

So, that left them with the only option of getting out of the kingdom before Gozaburo got the chance to do anything. Bakura scowled at the thought of running, his gut instinct telling him to stay in the valley between the hills. Surrounding them were small kingdoms, where the leader and the rest of the people existed in equal squalor, meaning that there was no chance for him to practice his profession. If they traveled even further out they reached the edge of Bakura's knowledge, the thief having never ventured into the plains or scrubland that surrounded them to the south.

If they stayed, then they would have to hide in the forest and depend on their wits to keep them safe or find a place where they couldn't be found. The more he thought over this new idea, the more he liked the sound of it. He tilted his head to the side as he turned the thought over in his head. There had to be plenty of places that Gozaburo wouldn't look for them or places where knights would never dare to go on their own. Someplace where it would be easy to defend…

Bakura quickly turned the horse toward the pine forest, searching for the path they had taken up to the waterfall where they had first met the dragon. No knight would be willing to go back there with the dragon's reputation and most would assume that he was still there. They would be safe and, Bakura couldn't believe that he actually was considering it, Ryou would be able to continue his story.

The thief ducked his head as they entered the forest, the fragrant scent of the pines assaulting him. Bakura snorted and leaned forward, narrowing his eyes as he peered through the trees. He looked over at Ryou, surprised to see the poet pulling himself out of one of his funks. Usually they would last for hours, maybe a day, as he sorted through whatever past the poet was struggling through. He looked up at Bakura with worried brown eyes. "What are you doing?"

"We're hiding in plain sight. Believe me, it works." Bakura let go of Thoth's reins as they moved around a small sapling, his eyes widening as he spotted the narrow path that they would have to climb. Somehow, it had seemed easier before. But he had been on the ground and leading a mule, not on a flighty horse. His hands tightened on the reins for an instant before the urged the palomino in front of the mule, flinching as the horse stumbled as it stepped on the rocky path. When he felt that the animal was less likely to send them both plummeting to their death, he turned to smile back at Ryou. "Besides, you want to continue that tale of yours."

"Is it even fair since the prince is dead?"

"He'll stay that way then."

Ryou blinked once before his face twisted in confusion, the sight very endearing. "But…he's dead."

Bakura wanted to curse the gods for getting him stuck with this poet. He shook his head, surprised to feel a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. Apparently, he enjoyed the curse of the poet's dense moments. The thief shoved the sentimentality to the side. "Immortalized in word and verse. I believe you said that once."

He didn't need to turn around to see that Ryou's eyes had widened in comprehension. He felt the gaze of the poet turn away as Ryou focused his gaze on the sky, probably already planning out the next events of his poem. With the poet's silence taken care of, Bakura returned to his frantic clinging to the saddle, glaring at the space between the palomino's ears.

* * *

Seto held out an arm to stop Kisara, his eyes narrowing as he glared at his father. Gozaburo gave him a content smile from his place at the head of the table in the great hall. Seto hesitated for a moment before giving Kisara a gentle shove back into the corridor. He didn't want her around when he confronted his father about the night before. She didn't move for a moment, making him think that he would have to order her away, but then she was gone, silently slipping into the shadows. He turned his head slightly to watch her go, most of his attention focused on his father.

He stepped into the great hall, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring at the king, who was still smiling at him. Seto raised an eyebrow and sat down in the chair across from Gozaburo, tired of waiting for a reaction. "What happened last night?"

Gozaburo waved off his question, finally looking down at the cup that was in front of him. "A minor skirmish, nothing more."

"Then why was I not allowed to help?" Seto prevented himself from showing any emotion other than the raised eyebrow. "When I went to the door to go and help, I was rushed here with the rest of the women and children."

"A mere precaution."

"I saw the courtyard this morning." That got a reaction out of his father, the man choking on his wine as he looked up at Seto. Their eyes met for a moment before Gozaburo finally looked away. Seto snorted in distaste. "It was littered with bodies, most of them torn apart, broken on the ground or burnt to a crisp. That was no minor skirmish last night. Now, I'll ask you again, what happened last night?"

"Does it really matter?" Gozaburo was looking at the dark wine in his cup, gently twirling the it in his fingers. "We were victorious in the end. Nothing else matters."

Seto leaned forward, slamming his palms onto the table. "What if they come back? What then, father? Will we lose more of our men to a 'minor skirmish'?"

"They won't return, I can assure of that." Gozaburo gave a slow smile at made Seto shiver. He looked away for a moment, not wanting to look at his father at the moment. With a long sigh, Seto turned his gaze back, relieved to see that the smile was completely gone from his father's face.

"Tell me then how you can do that."

"We killed Yugi." Seto almost collapsed at the offhand way that his father informed him of the news. His hands gripped the edge of the table, knuckles turning white as he stared at the floor. Seto blinked slowly, the information still processing in his mind. Yugi. His little cousin. No, it couldn't happen.

Seto took a deep breath, gritting his teeth as he looked back up at his father. He shifted his stance so he was leaning threateningly over the king, nearly growling as he spoke. "You cannot be serious."

"You will find, Seto, that I am." Gozaburo casually tossed his sword to the surface of the table, the iron blade clattering as it hit the wood. Seto's eyes were drawn to the large red stain that ran over most of the surface of the blade, eyes widening in horror. One hand cautiously reached out for the sword before he jerked it back to its place gripping the front of the table. His father raised an eyebrow at the movement before motioning with the hand that held the cup. "I didn't clean it so you would believe me. I stabbed him right through the heart. Now there's no more competition for the throne."

Seto barely heard the last part, pushing away from the table as his mask of indifference shattered. His own father had killed Yugi, the one he considered a brother, even after years of separation. And he had thoughtfully planned out how to tell Seto of Yugi's demise, even to the point of presenting him with the sword that had ended his cousin's life.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to cry or kill Gozaburo, but the latter choice was slowly gaining precedence.

He forced himself to stand upright, glaring at the sword before snatching it from the table and walking over to the doors that lead to the courtyard. Hearing his father chuckle from behind him, Seto yanked open the doors and tossed the weapon to the first stable boy that was walking past. "Clean this. I don't want a single speck of blood left on it when you are done."

The boy gave a quick bow and scurried off. Seto turned around, slamming the doors behind him and storming back to glare at his father. Gozaburo just chuckled at his son's antics, raising his cup to his lips to take a drink. "That won't help the situation one bit."

Seto snarled and knocked the cup from his father's grip, sending the gilt object crashing into the wall and letting the wine spill to the floor. Gozaburo tapped his fingers on the table before standing up, glaring at his son. "You let your emotions control you."

"He was my cousin!" Seto didn't care that he was out of control for once. He hadn't let his mask slip when Mokuba had died, or when his mother had died, following his father's example. He had even held back his anger when Gozaburo had killed Aislinn, Kisara taking up most of his attention. But this was one time he was not going to allow himself to hold back. It was Yugi! "He was like my brother, and you killed him!"

"As long as he lived he was going to incite rebellion."

"Do the peasants look like they can rebel? Yugi was harmless, he wouldn't have encouraged them to rebel if the cost was too high! He would have been content to sit back and let you rule!" Seto kept his mouth open for a second longer before snapping it shut, finding he had nothing left to say to his father. He turned around, intending to storm back up into his room. He jerked his shoulder out of the grip that his father had on him, earning a glare from Gozaburo.

"You forget that I do this for our line. Remember that, Seto."

He brushed off his father's words and stormed back up to his room, beginning to pace the floor as he waited for Kisara's reappearance from wherever she had gone. They needed to talk about their plans for the future instead of avoiding the subject. They needed to work in the fact that Yugi would never come back and take the strain of the throne away from them and gather together loyal forces. Seto wasn't going to sit back and let his father get away with Yugi's murder.

Seto stared down at the desk on one side of his room, the piece of furniture having been moved to his private rooms when he could no longer stand the chance that he would meet his father while he was working on keeping the kingdom in order. He walked over and stared down at the pieces of paper that littered the surface, the move having disturbed his usually clean state. As he stared at the wood and paper, he knew that he had to find Mahad.

Their old mentor and protector would join their side, eager to help kill the one who had killed their prince. Mahad could also help where Seto's knowledge of strategy and the populace was splotchy. Between the two of them, they could find a way to wrestle the kingdom out of Gozaburo's grasp. And then…

Seto reeled, leaning against the desk as he realized what a rebellion would mean. He would have to take the throne, a throne that he never thought would belong to him. The throne that he would never feel belonged to him. It would always be Yugi's throne and Yugi's crown, not his. His father had stolen it from his cousin and Seto was taking it in memory of his cousin. He rubbed his temples as the thoughts began to rush around in his head, realizing that he had been referring to his cousin in the past tense.

He walked over his bed and flopped down onto it, resting an arm over his eyes. He resigned himself to waiting for Kisara, suddenly needing the comfort that she offered to him. Suddenly, he didn't want to stand on his own.

* * *

Kisara slipped out through a side door, holding up a hand to her mouth as she crossed the courtyard to where Akhnamkanon was chained down. The black dragon rolled an eye to look at her before sighing, the chains rattling with the motion. She took her hand away from her face to give him a smile, noticing the slight burn marks on his scales. At least there was some life back in the old dragon's eyes.

"You've come out here to ask what went on last night."

She nodded, one hand holding the fabric of her dress slightly off the ground. "I heard Atem."

Akhnamkanon sighed, eyes shifting away from her. "He was here. He was working with the few people who wanted to overthrown Gozaburo. But…" He trailed off for a moment, his eyes darting to one corner of the castle. Kisara tried to look around him, but Akhnamkanon simply shook his head. "I'm afraid that he will become like you, willing to give up everything."

"But I-"

"Not that I think that is wrong." Akhnamkanon hastily amended his statement, looking sheepish for the first time that Kisara could remember. The dragon shifted, looking up at the sky. "No, I shouldn't think that is wrong, especially with what I've done to myself to keep him safe from what fate awaits him. But I can't help but worry, because he will have made the same mistake I have."

"What mistake?" When the dragon was silent, Kisara moved closer. His words had increased her worry for her friend. She jumped at the snort that came from Akhnamkanon, realizing that the black dragon was crying. She knelt by his head, resting one hand on his muzzle as she waited for him.

"Kisara, he was so thin when I saw him. And I've heard the knights talking and they've been driving him crazy." He moved a bit farther away from her touch, acting like it pained him to be in contact with another creature. "And he was willing to defend a human over his own father. He was frightening so see him when they killed the human, because he went crazy, even striking at those who were on his side. But, I'm afraid it's too late for Atem."

"Too late? Akhnamkanon, what do you mean?"

"They stabbed that boy, right through the heart…"

"What boy?" Kisara shook her head, reaching out to touch the dragon again but only to have him pull away again. "What boy are you talking about?"

"He was the prince, Kisara. Aislinn's son."

"Yugi." Kisara saw the dragon nod, her own hand coming up to rest over her heart. So that was what the commotion was about last night. Yugi had tried to free the kingdom from Gozaburo, and failed. She dropped her hand, one finger tracing invisible patterns on the stone as she waited for Akhnamkanon to continue.

"He's given the boy his heart, Kisara." She looked up, eyes widening. Both of them had known what had happened to Akhnamkanon and why he was imprisoned. But then, why had Atem gone ahead and made the same mistake his father had? They knew how this would end, humans could never accept that they were tied to a dragon without trying to dominate the creature. It was why she had given up that form to be with Seto. But Atem wasn't like her, he wouldn't change from a dragon, he was too proud for that.

He had always seemed to look down on humans, hating them for what they were doing for the dragons. Still, he had been kind and always willing to listen when Kisara had talked endlessly about Seto, teasing her about the affection she felt for 'her human'. It had never occurred to her that Atem would find a human that he could tolerate, let alone tie his life to like that. Part of her refused to believe it, urging her to speak. "What makes you think that?"

"If you had seen him, then you would have known." Akhnamkanon shuddered his eyes staring fixedly on the castle wall. "If you or I had come out to try and help that prince after they had stabbed him, Atem would have killed us both without a second thought."

"But, he knows us! Why-"

"Wouldn't you do the same if someone injured your human?" The cool logic calmed her for a moment. Kisara looked down at the ground before stepping away, heading back into the castle. A soft rumble drew her attention back to the dragon, Akhnamkanon straining against the chains that held him against the ground. "When the time comes, could you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Kill me." He didn't seem to notice how her eyes widened. "You or your human. It doesn't matter. But there will come a point when this existence isn't worth much anymore."

She didn't want to, but she found herself nodding anyway. She could understand his thinking, no matter how much it repulsed her. There would come a time when this arrangement wouldn't work, and Akhnamkanon was at the mercy of the humans, a place where the proud dragon would rather not be. It was the least she could do for him. Kisara winced at the direction her thoughts were taking, stiffening at the soft sound of the dragon's voice as he whispered, "I wish you and your mate luck with your brood, Kisara."

Tears came to her eyes as Kisara turned to smile at the old dragon before she rushed back into the castle, coming to an abrupt halt. Calming herself quickly, Kisara darted toward a servant's stairwell, preferring to take that route over accidentally meeting Gozaburo on her way up. She paused halfway up the stairs, gasping for breath before continuing at a more sedate pace.

Once at the top, she peered into the corridor before walking gracefully over to their chambers, opening the door and stepping in. Her eyes widened as she saw Seto sprawled across the bed. Kisara moved to her side of the bed, sitting beside him and running a hand through his brown hair. He lifted the arm his had over his eyes to smile at her before letting the limb drop back to the bed with a sigh. "My father murdered my cousin."

"Yugi will be alright."

Seto blinked up at her, before shaking his head. "Yugi is dead, Kisara."

"No. He's still alive." She cut off a yelp as Seto sat up and shoved her away.

"I am already mocked on a daily basis by my father, I do not need you to help him with that job."

Kisara sighed, absently resting one hand against her stomach as she thought. Of course that had not been the best approach for Seto, Yugi had meant a lot to him. She should have known that Gozaburo would have taunted him about his cousin's death. She stood up, walking up behind Seto and placing her hands on his shoulders, holding tight when he meant to shove them off. "I am not mocking you, Seto. A dragon saved your cousin."

"A dragon…" Seto began to scoff, the emotion behind the action disappearing as he realized what she meant. Before Kisara could react, he pulled away, turning around and yanking her close. "Like what that dragon did to my father?"

"Yes."

"Gods." Seto slumped, Kisara hastily holding him up. He rested his forehead on her shoulder, taking in a shaky breath as Kisara ran her hands down his back.

"He'll be alright." Kisara led him back over to the bed, laying them both down as she continued to soothe her lover, relaxing only when she heard him sigh. "The dragon will take care of him, I promise that."

Seto made a muffled noise of disagreement before closing his eyes and pulling Kisara close to him in a hug. She let him hold her, reaching back to run her hand through his hair again.

* * *

Yugi was sent tumbling to the ground, looking up quickly as the dragon that had carried him flew away. It landed a short distance away, looking back at him with a hiss before glancing up at the other two dragons that were flying in. Yugi ignored the other one, only having eyes for the dragon that carried the limp form of Atem. The dragon shot a glare at him before landing gently, the sun shining off its green scales. It set Atem down gently on the ground, its tail quickly curling around the smaller dragon as Yugi tried to rush over. The dragon looked over his shoulder with a disgusted snort. "Haven't you done enough, human?"

"No, you don't understand…"

Yugi jumped at the strangled sound that Atem made, one hand dropping to hold his own stomach as it cramped. He winced, almost falling to the ground with the pain. He stared down at the dirt, panting for breath. He barely noticed the green dragon stride off, too focused on himself. What was going on? He hadn't been in pain like this before, there was no reason for it. He looked up, staring at Atem for a moment, mind weakly shuffling back through his memories, mouth falling open.

He had been killed earlier. Gozaburo had stabbed him through the heart. If that was the case, why was he still alive?

Yugi scrambled to his feet, running over to Atem and taking up his station at the black and red dragon's head. He made a soothing noise as one red eye opened, searching for him as Yugi stroked Atem's head. The dragon's mouth opened, looking like he was going to speak, but he could make no sound. Yugi smiled, fingers seeking out that one spot above Atem's eye. "Don't worry, I'm still here."

Atem responded by pushing his head gently into Yugi's rubbing fingers, eye falling shut again. Cautiously, Yugi unwrapped the arm he had around his stomach and placed that hand on the dragon too. He leaned over Atem, wincing at the pain that the move brought to his stomach. "Atem, I need you to concentrate for a moment, please. I know I died earlier tonight."

The dragon gave a whimper, which Yugi thought he meant as a denial. He shushed the dragon, resting his forehead against Atem. "Hush. I'm still here. But you did something. What did you do?"

"Heart." The word was faint and Yugi thought he had misheard at first. He glanced down at his shirt, noticing for the first time the blood that stained it and the charred edges. With a shaking hand, he traced the scar on his chest, eyes widening when he felt the steady beat. None of this was right, he was supposed to be dead. But Atem had saved him, had fixed his heart somehow. His hand dropped back to the dragon in the next second as Atem tried to move, keeping the dragon still. Atem hissed in displeasure but listened to Yugi's frantic whispers. "Share heart, share pain. Sorry."

"Don't apologize." Yugi dropped to his knees, sighing as he rested against the dragon. "Don't ever apologize."

"You!" Yugi spun around at the growl, shrinking back against Atem as the dragon stared down at him. This one was a deep purple, two fangs hanging down from the sides of its mouth. Yugi found himself staring up at the jewel-like structure on the forehead of the dragon before looking up at the three spikes that covered the top of the dragon's neck. Scales descended down the neck in an arrangement like plates of armor, leading to the tail that broke off into a pitchfork shape. Six dangerously sharp claws were one every hand and foot, two extra spikes on the knees of the hind legs. The dragon hissed at Yugi before turning his head and shouting into the human village. "Dartz!"

A human came rushing out at the call, Yugi turning his head to look at the new comer. The dragon took the moment to pull him away from Atem, earning a yelp from Yugi and a strangled snarl from Atem as the red and black dragon tried to find the human again. Yugi twisted in the dragon's hold, the earth moving quickly under him before he was deposited on the ground again. The prince glared at the dragon before turning to look at the man that they had stopped in front of.

The man crossed his arms, his long white robe easily concealing his hands with the movement. Cold amber eyes stared back at Yugi as the man looked him over. Finally, he shook his head, long aqua hair falling in disarray down his back. Yugi tried to scramble backwards, but the dragon wouldn't let him move, happily passing him over to Dartz before walking back over to where the two other dragons from before had congregated over by Atem. Yugi turned to follow the dragon, jumping when he felt the man pull on his arm. The prince shot a glare in his direction, but following the order to stand up. "Where are you taking me?"

"Away while they work to help him." Dartz sighed as he answered Yugi's question, like the prince was below him. Yugi struggled against the hold for a moment, turning his head to look back at the group of dragons who were looming over Atem. His arm was subjected to another sharp pull as Dartz continued to lead him toward the tents. The man turned to face him abruptly, catching his chin and forcing Yugi to look at him. "I know you probably didn't hurt that dragon, but Timaeus overreacts to humans with injured dragons. He'll apologize for his rough behavior as soon as your dragon pulls through."

He made to start pulling Yugi off again when the green dragon stood on his hind legs, looking around at the tents before bellowing. "Solomon!"

Dartz halted in his tracks, looking between the three dragons and the tents, his hand falling away from Yugi. The prince took a step back, intending to make a run for it when he saw the look in Dartz's eyes. The man felt Yugi's gaze and looked down to meet it. "Apparently things are worse than we thought."

"Worse…" Yugi hastily jumped to the side as an elderly man with messy grey hair rushed past, disappearing into the clump of three dragons. The prince turned back to stare at Dartz, watching as the man seemed to be thinking things over. "Who was that? And how are things worse?"

"Solomon is the only human in our clan that retains the use of magic, specifically the kind of magic that helps in healing. He mostly works on our cattle but," Dartz wiped a sleeve over his forehead, "something must be really wrong with that dragon it they've called him over."

Yugi was about to demand a better answer when red hot pain slashed across his stomach, making him cry out and fall to his knees. His vision wavered, snapping back into focus as he heard the last bellows of pain from Atem. Yugi trembled and laboriously got back to his feet, keeping one arm pressed over his stomach. He shook his head, clearing the ringing in his ears before stumbling forward a step, nearly falling before Dartz caught him. Yugi slumped in the hold, allowing the man to support him for a moment before trying to pull away as Dartz began to pull him towards the tents.

"No! I have to-" Yugi gasped at another slash of pain across his stomach, looking up to see the green dragon backing away, blood on its claws. He stumbled a few steps away on his own before falling to his hands and knees, panting as he tried to breathe. He felt a hand on his back, tilting his head to look at Dartz. Yugi looked away, glancing down at his stomach, expecting blood to be leaking from him. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts before looking back up at Dartz. "Please, he has no idea what is going on. He only understands that I'm here somewhere."

He nearly growled as Dartz pulled him into a sitting position, plucking at his shirt around the hole. Yugi jumped away from him as the man brushed his fingers over the scar on his chest, purple eyes darkening in anger. Dartz didn't seem to notice, the aqua haired man leaning back on his hands, still staring at the scar. "Where did you get that?"

"Atem said something about sharing a heart and sharing pain." Yugi nearly whimpered out the next word, swaying on his feet. The man nodded to himself before standing up and wrapping and arm around Yugi's waist. The prince was about to struggle out of his grip again when the man began to guide him toward Atem. Yugi sighed with relief, the sound dying as he heard the conversation.

"Was that really necessary, Solomon?"

Yugi caught a glimpse of the old man from around the dragon's leg as Dartz maneuvered him closer. Solomon shook his head and ducked back down, peering at something that held his attention. "I know the inner workings of cattle, not dragons. I am to help this one, then I actually need to see what I am doing." There was the disgusting sound of flesh pulling away from flesh before Solomon sat up again, nodding to himself. "I thought so, his gut is twisted."

The prince tried to get a look at what they were examining, but Dartz kept moving him before he could get a good look. Yugi's attention was distracted by a groan from Atem. From above him, one of the dragon's hissed, glaring at Solomon. "You said that you could keep him asleep."

"That was before I had to do this with magic. Just hold him down and I will work as fast as I can." Solomon snapped the command at the dragon, who dropped down to hold onto Atem's neck and shoulders, the purple dragon doing the same to the hindquarters. Only Timaeus remained on guard, looking over what Solomon was doing. With the absence of the other dragons blocking his line of vision, Yugi could clearly see what was going on. And it took everything he had not to throw up.

Atem's stomach was sliced open towards his hind end, the blood probably kept from spilling out of him by magic. Solomon had one arm stuck inside the incision, eyes closed as he searched for something, a faint smile coming across his lips when he discovered what he sought. The clean hand reached up and stroked the skin that was in his reach. "Almost done now, young one. Just hold on a few moments more."

The black and red dragon hissed in pain, one leg weakly twitching in the hold that the other two dragons held on him. "Where is…"

"Where is what?" Solomon encouraged Atem on, his smile growing wider as he twisted his arm inside Atem.

"Yugi." His name was breathed out on a whisper, the action earning a slap from Solomon before the old man went back to working. Yugi flinched as the pain of the slap was transferred to him, staring at the old man in awe.

"You stay with me now, young one. It's almost over. Keep talking."

Atem twisted in the hold that the two dragons had on him, eyes shut tight. "Yugi."

"That's it young one, keep talking to me. I'm almost done here." Solomon paused for a moment, shifting as he moved his hand again. "My daughter always wanted to name her child Yugi but…well she died before that could happen."

Atem groaned, a shudder running through his body. Solomon pulled his hand out, the arm bloody up to his shoulder. He looked up and nodded to Timaeus, the two of them waiting until purple tendrils pulled the two sides of the incision together. Timaeus took a deep breath and cauterized the wound, the tendrils of magic disappearing when the flames touched them. Yugi screamed when he felt the action on his own stomach, nearly falling to his knees. He reeled as Dartz gave him the final push, sending him stumbling to Atem's head. Yugi grabbed onto Atem as he felt the dragon moan, the smell of burning flesh disappearing as Timaeus stepped back.

The green dragon shook his head at he looked over Atem, eyes drifting down to gaze at Solomon. "He's in horrible condition. Between his weight and what you just did, he'll be using up more of his body's resources that he can spare. We need to take to the desert, where he doesn't have to worry about keeping a constant body temperature…" The dragon trailed off as his gaze fell on Yugi. He dropped down to all fours and snarled, teeth hovering above the prince. "What are you doing here human?"

Atem opened his eyes and tried to snap at Timaeus, teeth falling short of their goal with the hold that was still on him. Yugi rested a hand on Atem's muzzle, silently telling him to lay still while he glared up at the green dragon. "He asked for me."

"Yugi." The prince looked back down as Atem nudged him gently. He sat on the ground, guiding Atem so the dragon could rest his head on Yugi's lap. Atem sighed, leaning into the human and nearly knocking him over. "My stomach hurts."

Yugi laughed and gave him a light tap on the muzzle, smiling as Atem slowly opened one eye to look at him, the haze that had once covered the crimson irises gone. "You just had your stomach ripped open. It should hurt for a while. But they fixed whatever was wrong. You'll be alright."

The dragon purred, obviously enjoying the contact with the human. The sound stopped abruptly and Atem raised his head from Yugi's lap, looking over the human in concern before nuzzling the prince's stomach. Yugi quickly pulled Atem back down, giggling as the motion tickled him. Atem seemed comforted by the sound of his laughter, but there was still worry in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Now I am."

Atem nuzzled Yugi's leg, giving a soft purr as he did so. Yugi allowed Atem to rest like that for a while before gently tapping him, drawing his attention back to Yugi. "They're taking you to the desert so you can get better."

Instead of relaxing like he expected, Atem whimpered and pressed closer to Yugi, struggling to get out of the hold that the other two dragons still had on him as Solomon continued to examine his patient. Yugi tried to calm him, mumbling nonsense until Atem stopped struggling, the trials of the day catching up to him. He let out a long sigh, looking up at Yugi. "I don't want to leave. Something might go wrong."

"You'll be the first to know." Yugi tapped his heart with a smile, trying to let Atem know that he didn't mind the action that the dragon had taken. His smile faltered as Atem looked away with a long sigh. Yugi ran his hand down the dragon's muzzle, closing his eyes to savor the warmth and the feel of leather under his palm. "I'll be alright. I promise."

Atem gave a weak grunt of agreement, trying to look fierce as he struggled to fight off exhaustion. "Don't go anywhere."

"I'll stay right here and wait for you." Yugi pulled Atem into a hug, not letting go until the sound of someone clearing their throat made him look up. Atem gave a soft growl when Yugi shifted, looking up at the elderly man who had helped Atem. Yugi wiggled out from under the dragon, scrambling backwards as Timaeus walked over, the other dragons releasing their hold on Atem so the green dragon could pick him up. Atem snarled at the treatment, the threat carrying no weight as he could do nothing but twitch the tip of his tail.

Timaeus glanced down at Dartz, giving the man a nod of his head. "We'll be back in time for mating season."

Dartz waved them on, rolling his eyes and muttering something about 'dragons' before walking back into the group of tents. Yugi remained sitting on the ground, watching as Timaeus took off, the purple and red dragons following him. The prince leaned back onto his hands, titling his head back as far as it would go to track the dragon's progress across the sky. He finally sat back up when he could no longer see the dragons, eyes widening as he met Solomon's eyes. The two stared at each other for a long time before the elderly man began to tremble. Yugi was about to ask if he was alright when Solomon dropped to the ground in front of him, staring directly in his eyes.

"Yugi, who was your mother?"

"My mother?" Yugi was stunned by the seemingly random question before he gathered his wits, shaking his head. "Aislinn."

"Where was she from?"

"She never told me." Yugi shook his head, scooting backwards away from Solomon. "She never talked about her past. She only said that she was taken from her clan and that I had inherited my grandfather's hair."

"My Aislinn…and you have her eyes…" Yugi quickly got to his feet, only to be pulled into a hug. The prince struggled to get away from Solomon, stopping when he felt tears falling in his shoulder. He glanced around, hoping that there was someone who could tell him what was going on, tensing when Solomon staring speaking. "I thought she was dead when that king slaughtered them all. I looked for days, but I couldn't find her."

He pulled away, holding Yugi at arm's length, examining him before a soft smile stole across his face. The expression lasted for a while before Solomon took in the scared look on Yugi's face. His arms dropped back to his sides as he stepped away. "I'm sorry…it's just been so long…and…"

Suddenly, Yugi couldn't bear to see the elderly man sinking into sorrow. He reached out to grab Solomon's arm, making sure that the elderly man was focused on him before he spoke. "My mother talks a lot about dragons, even has a whole room with dragon figures carved out of wood and stone."

The old man brightened, suddenly swooping Yugi up into a hug. "That's my daughter. She survived." Yugi found himself laughing along with Solomon, the joy infectious. He stumbled a bit when he was placed back on the ground, Solomon pulling him into another hug. Yugi smiled and let the old man hold him, relishing the close contact with another human being. They both pulled away with identical smiles, Solomon reaching out to guide Yugi back into the group of tents. "Tell me everything.

* * *

Ryou watched the flames of the fire lick at the wood, hearing the soft sounds of Bakura as the thief slept. The poet rubbed his bare arms, wishing that he had put on a shirt as well as his pants before crawling out to restart the fire. It was getting close to winter, the chill in the air telling him that. It was going to be hard to find food in this area without stealing from the peasants, which Bakura would refuse to do in the end. So the thief would go for the nobles, which would be dangerous with Gozaburo on the look out for them and Mahad. Their time of moving behind the scenes was over, ended easily in a single night.

The poet scrubbed a hand across his face before resting his chin against his knee, eyes following the trail of yellow in the fire. While Bakura had told him only a few reasons for their continued stay in Gozaburo's kingdom, he knew that part of it was because the thief couldn't refuse Ryou anything. His hand clenched by his side, the crackle of paper reminding what he had also brought with him. He looked down, fingers automatically smoothing out the paper. Its yellow surface was littered with smudged, dark spots of ink, words and sketches; none of the latter ever matching what Yugi had done with his pictures of those dragons.

He looked up to where the prince's palomino horse was tied, looking at the pack that was tied to the cantle of the saddle. He couldn't bring himself to touch any of that stuff, but Bakura would eventually. And only for their own survival. There was probably a law among thieves against stealing from dead friends unless the circumstances called for it. But he wanted to be sure that the drawings made it somewhere safe. There was probably good money to be made from them, if they were sold to some artist. But they wouldn't be the same. The dragons that Yugi had sketched from memories of their dead bodies held a sort of sorrow that wouldn't be duplicated by another artist. The dragons would be turned into vicious beasts instead of the tragic figures that they had become, fighting for survival in a world that no longer wanted them. It was almost better that they were forgotten, like the true identity of the one who had brought them to life.

His fingers twitched on the paper again, the sound encouraging him to pick up the pages. Ryou stared at the neat lines of his writing, hand twitching to grab a quill to fix his mistakes. He had brought his great work out here to burn it, to condemn the memory to ashes and scatter them to the wind. It no longer mattered to him that no one would read if he had done that. To him, it had become like the dragon sketches, something that would be irreversibly changed. But, as he read it over to commit his great folly to memory, Ryou found that he couldn't throw it into the fire, his mouth dropping open as he realized what was appearing out of his words. It had stopped being a story about a brave a just knight struggling to free the kingdom from the threat of dragons, but the tale of a beaten down man struggling to free the kingdom from a tyrant; the only one willing to take a stand. And, leaping out from the pages, was the dragon, strong and powerful like Ryou remembered him. The dragon seemed to draw the darkness and despair, just as the prince counteracted that, becoming the brave knight of legend. But still fundamentally changed.

There was no dragon without the prince and no prince without the dragon. They worked in balance. When one was missing, the rhythm was off, the poem too bright or too dark. And while that was alright for small portions, it would have been overwhelming if the other had not been there.

Bakura had been right, this was a story like no other. A story that would get him remembered forever. But Ryou found that it no longer mattered if _he_ was remembered forever. He just wanted the duo to be remembered, the dragon and the prince. He wanted them to live on even though both had disappeared from his life.

Ryou carefully set the papers down, remembering to set a rock on them before rushing off to gather his quill and ink, hastily setting himself up close to the fire. He leafed through the papers, coming to a stop at the start of the poem as he began to scan his work. He wanted this to be perfect. He wanted the generations who would come after him to remember this one piece and not him. Because he didn't matter anymore. What was he to the world, the run away son of a minor nobleman? A mere runaway child too spoiled to see what his parents had offered him? He was no longer any of those things, he had left that Ryou behind to die in the courtyard of Gozaburo's castle. He was something entirely new, no longer bound by the laws of the society he had run away from.

He was Ryou, the one who had dared to fall in love with a thief who had stolen his purse. The one who had dared to confront a knight and follow him until he found the one dragon that he couldn't defeat. The one who had charged into Gozaburo's stronghold with only three others and a dragon. He was simply a poet and proud of that fact. The desire to be something more had slipped away somewhere on the journey, the taint from his old world washed away. Ryou gave a fond smile to the sleeping Bakura, knowing that the thief couldn't see his thanks for changing him.

The poet leaned over his work, frantically scribbling as he added and deleted words from the pages, sometimes stopping and running the worn feather of the quill under his chin before chuckling softly and jumping back into the work. The scratching continued for a long time until Ryou jumped up, placing another rock on top of his pages before running to the prince's pack, hastily rifling through it as he searched for the object of his desire. He gave a short exhale of success before making his way back to the fire, more carefully this time as he cradled his precious bundle. Sitting down on the ground, Ryou carefully peeling the pieces of bark from each other, eyes lingering over each lamenting dragon until he came to the last one in the pile. He brushed his fingers across one corner, smiling as he looked at Yugi's last drawing.

It was a quick rendition of their dragon, only the head and neck of the creature. The dragon was staring off at something in the distance, defiance and life in his eyes, so different from the other dragons whose eyes held nothing. The shading over the scales slowly faded down the neck, finally quitting before the end of the lines that Yugi had drawn, the whole dragon fading into nothingness. But that only served to increase the power of the picture. This was a dragon alone, unhindered by anything else. Ryou nodded to himself, placing the drawing aside from the others and picking up his pages again, closing his eyes for a moment, his quill twitching in his hand before he finally stared to write.

'Untamed by man or beast it stood  
With eyes of crimson flame,  
Looking down on the mortal knight  
Who decreed it would be slain.'

He was too involved with his writing to notice Bakura open one eye sleepily. The thief rolled over, staring at Ryou before rolling his eyes, but he didn't go back to sleep. Instead, he watched the poet through the tangle of the flames, smiling at the facial expressions that Ryou made as he worked his way through the story.

* * *

_So, I basically gave Atem colic, the closest real comparison would be the types that horses get where the intestines can twist which will kill the horse. Actually, you are supposed to keep the horse from rolling as it just twists the gut and/or makes it worse. Solomon just did the approximation of colic surgery, of course, Atem had it easier because he could throw up, which horses usually can't to get rid of whatever is hurting them. I feel sorry for the poor boy._

_Anyway, read and review please. Criticism, as always, is greatly appreciated._


	9. Returns and Departures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I only own bits of the plot.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I only own bits of the plot.

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Returns and Departures**

**   
_And when the king rode to show off his might;  
The thief king stole in and helped them ride out of sight._   
**

**Three Months Later**

Yugi leaned back on his hands, watching his grandfather move through the herd of cattle, chuckling at the comments that he could hear from the old man. He reached out to pet an inquisitive cow, jumping at the loud snort that the creature gave before wandering back to its herd. The prince sighed, glancing up at the sky. Clouds drifted through the blue expanse above him, uninterrupted in their path. He sat up a bit and rubbed his arms, the chill in the air growing slightly more pronounced, although never growing as cold as it did back in his home.

"They'll return when they do. No sooner, no later." Yugi looked up as Solomon made his way out of the herd of cattle, waving at their caretaker before sitting down beside his grandson. He ruffled Yugi's hair, ignoring the token protest from the youth. Yugi laughed and pushed the hands away, flopping backwards onto his back to stare up at the sky again, one hand playing with the blades of grass.

It had been three months since he had last seen Atem or any of the other dragons. In fact, all the dragons that usually congregated around the nomadic people had flown south, toward the desert. Of course, he hadn't really noticed the disappearance, having been put to work as soon as he was deemed capable. In an attempt to forget Atem's absence, the prince had thrown himself into the manual labor that was assigned to him, which was often following his grandfather around and assisting him when he needed it.

He sighed and closed his eyes, taking the moment to relax. He would move only when his grandfather did. After weeks of running after the old man, he had learned to grab onto any chance to take a break, or he would be on his feet until the sun set. He heard his grandfather chuckle, reluctantly opening one eye to see what was causing the sound. Solomon was leaning back himself, seeming to enjoy the breeze that was washing over them, his eyes closed as he let out a long sigh. He looked down at his grandson with a smile. "The wind has shifted. Up north they are freezing in the snow. Down here, the dragons will be dancing."

"What?" Yugi sat up as Solomon stood up, brushing off his pants before walking to tents. Yugi scrambled after him, only managing a few steps before he tripped and fell. The prince groaned and pushed up from the ground, resting on his hands and knees. He was about to stand up again when there was a shout. He turned his head quickly, staring at the lookout who was perched on a nearby rock. Usually, the lookouts were searching for the predators that would prey on the cattle and the humans that watched over them, if they were hungry enough. Instead of looking out over the yellowed grass, the lookout was staring up at the sky with one hand shading his eyes.

The response to the shout made Yugi look back at the village, sitting back onto his legs as he watched the whole clan rush out of the tents, all of them squinting at the sky. Yugi saw his grandfather among the group, his attention immediately snatched away as the cows began moving toward him. The prince stood up, moving to the side as their caretakers herded the cattle back toward the pens that would hold them temporarily. He could hear the noise from the other herdsmen as they guided their animals back towards home, eager to join the crowd that had grown, now all of them staring at the sky and pointing.

Yugi looked up again, scanning the clouds above him before looking toward the south, eyes widening at the sight that greeted him. He took an involuntary step backward at the mass of dragons that was bearing down on the shouting people before he shook himself, looking for Atem in the bunch of dragons. His search was abruptly cut off as the familiar green shape of Timaeus swooped low, toppling people over as he swept over the crowd. The dragon regained altitude, laughing as Dartz picked himself up and shouted at him. The green dragon gave a chuckle himself before landing. Yugi took the chance to run over to the group, catching what Timaeus was saying as the purple and red dragons circled calmly down to land beside him. "I'm getting too old for such things."

Dartz gave an undignified snort, straightening his robes. "You say that every year, and yet you still do that."

Timaeus chuckled, lowering his head to gently nudge Dartz, tipping the man over again. "I just like annoying you."

The dragons walked off, leaving Dartz to stand up again and glare after them. Yugi placed a hand over his mouth to smother a laugh. There was a friendly rivalry going between the two leaders of the humans and the dragons, nothing more than driving each other to annoyance. But it was still interesting to watch. The interaction between dragon and human was forgotten as another blast of wind sent him tumbled to the ground. Yugi had a quick glimpse of an orange dragon with blue eyes before the dragon turned and raced back to the group, darting in and out of the rest of the dragons.

To Yugi's relief, most of the other dragons went for a more sedate landing, touching down a good distance from the humans before walking over to converse with them. He noticed that most of these dragons were large and traveled in pairs, never straying far from what Yugi assumed was their mate. A few of them kept glancing worriedly up at the few dragons that were still wheeling in the air above them. Yugi followed their gaze, jumping as a hand landed on his shoulder. He sighed as his grandfather laughed, coming to stand by his side. "The younger ones will be a while before landing."

Yugi didn't want to move away, even as his grandfather gave his shoulder a gently squeeze. No matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see Atem in the bunch of dragons. The black and red dragon had to be alive, or else Yugi would have died before now. Solomon had told him that much when he had pestered his grandfather about what the dragon had done to him before his grandfather had sternly told him to stop thinking about it. He shook his head as he realized that he was losing himself to his thoughts again, waving his grandfather on. "I'll be in a little while. I want to watch for a little longer."

Solomon nodded and walked back toward the tents. Yugi smiled to himself, tipping his head back up to look at the dragons still in the air, eyes widening as there seemed to be a disturbance in the middle of the bunch. A smaller white dragon broke away from the rest, quickly gliding to the ground and trotting over to the other dragons. The red dragon broke away from Timaeus, tipping its head to look at dragons above them. "What's going on?"

The white dragon shook its shield-like head. "I'm dropping out of the game, Hermos."

Hermos tipped back his head and let out a laugh, stretching onto his hind legs to peer at the younger dragons that were darting above them. "He finally got it away from you guys? I thought that he would. We tried warning you that it was just a front."

The small white dragon looked sheepish, following after Hermos as they left the flat area, other dragons quickly landing after them. All of them looked back up at the sky, sighing in defeat as they trudged away. Yugi glanced at them, tensing as a green dragon with jewel-like structures growing on its knees and head looked back up and let out a sharp laugh. "Get him, Rex!"

Yugi looked up, watching as the purple and brown flapped his wings desperately to gain height, glaring at something that waited above him. The prince raised his eyes, having to shield his eyes from the sun as he looked up. His eyes widened as he saw the familiar shape of Atem hovering above Rex, the sunlight tinting the ends of his wing membrane red.

Atem tossed his head, showing off the hide that he held in his mouth. The purple and brown dragon snarled, finally reaching the level that Atem hovered on. The black and red dragon gave a smile before shooting upward, riding a thermal to the top to taunt Rex from the new height. The two repeated the procedure until they both had to flap constantly to gain any height.

Yugi tore his eyes away from the two dragons still in the sky as Timaeus walked up beside him, tipping his large head to the side as he peered up. By now, Atem and Rex were both faint dots among the clouds, too far away for Yugi to see, but Timaeus could see them fine. The green dragon snorted in annoyance, glaring at the two. "If that one twists his gut again, I would almost be tempted to let him suffer."

"Why?" Yugi looked at the dragon, turning abruptly as the other dragons gasped, some standing up on their hind legs to see the two in the sky better. The prince craned his head up, listening to the excited mutters from the dragons around him and the cursing from Timaeus. His own stomach fluttered nervously as he realized that one of the dots was plummeting back towards earth quickly. Yugi pressed his hand over his mouth to keep from yelping as he realized it was Atem.

The black and red dragon hurtled back toward the earth, hide still held in his teeth and wings pressed to his side. Rex was following him, mere seconds behind Atem. Yugi was aware that the other dragons were pulling away from the flat area, some waiting with their wings open and ready to take flight. A grumble from Timaeus drew his attention back to the green dragon who was looking at the other dragons with disgust on his face.

"They should trust Atem more. He knows what he's doing." Timaeus gave one last roll of his eyes before storming off, snapping at a dragon who tried to pull his attention back to the diving dragons. Yugi quickly looked back up, swallowing harshly as he realized how close they were to the ground now.

Rex seemed to be reconsidering the move, his eyes jumping from Atem to the ground that was rushing up to the both of them. He finally roared and opened his wings, gliding away. Yugi saw Atem briefly glance over his shoulder before looking back at the ground, snapping his wings open at what seemed like the last minute and gliding over the ground, dropping the hide from his mouth into his hand. He rose again, hovering a good distance above the ground as Rex finally landed, the purple and brown dragon glaring at Atem, who merely gave him a smile before rising higher into the air.

Yugi sighed and placed a hand over his racing heart. He had thought that Atem wouldn't pull up soon enough, even if he knew what he was doing. The prince shook his head to rid his mind of the images of Atem's broken body lying on the ground, taking another deep breath to calm himself. While his eyes were closed, he felt a rush of wind over him, a smile lighting up his face as he turned around. He opened his eyes as Atem was folding his wings, the dragon tossing the hide away before walking over to Yugi and dropping his head. The prince threw his arms around the dragon's muzzle, enjoying the presence of the dragon.

He had missed this, the feeling of soft warmth that Atem gave off and the feel of the dragon's scales beneath his hands. Yugi stood on his tip-toes to rub that one spot above Atem's eye, listening to the purr from the dragon. He found himself being nudged in a certain direction, letting go of Atem's muzzle and stepping back to stare at the dragon. Atem sighed and opened his wings, holding the appendages away from his body so that Yugi could look.

Atem was no longer the almost skeletal dragon that Yugi had known. In fact, he looked like he had gained too much weight over his convalescence. Yugi looked back at some of the other young dragons, surprised to see that they still seemed to weigh more than Atem. Further investigation was stopped as Atem dragged Yugi closer to him, pressing his head against Yugi's front and sighing. "I missed you."

The prince smiled and took a step back, clambering up onto Atem's foreleg and leaning back against the dragon's chest. Atem craned his head down, looking disappointed with Yugi's choice of perch. The prince sighed and moved until Atem could rest his head on Yugi's lap, giving another contented purr as Yugi began to rub the spot over his eye again. "You're very needy."

Atem laughed, the sound turning into a soft moan as Yugi rubbed a little harder. "I said I would steal you away to do this for the rest of your life. And I have."

"Things didn't go exactly as you planned."

The dragon looked like he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. "Not exactly. But I still got you here."

Yugi rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to hit the dragon. He caught a glance of Atem's smirk as it disappeared, the dragon shifting so he was more comfortably wrapped around Yugi. The prince stopped his petting for a moment to wrap his arms around Atem in a hug. "I missed you too."

* * *

Gozaburo turned to glare at the knights who were still struggling to mount their horses, turning his gaze to the castle gates. There had been a rumor going around that was making the villagers hard to handle. They had been perfectly passive after the news of Yugi's death had been spread around, but they had suddenly erupted into this. He would ride through villages and see the glares that they now openly leveled at him. And, as he rode off, he could hear them whispering about how much better Yugi would have been as a king and perhaps this would be the time to act. At first, he had paid no attention to it, at least until now. Now they were saying that, while Yugi was dead, there was a girl out there carrying his child. Which was bad news for him.

This unborn child was gaining the support that even its father couldn't get. The peasants were sure to rebel when it was old enough to take the throne, which Gozaburo was sure to be on. If all still went well. If Seto's whore died and took her brat with her.

Gozaburo forced himself not to snap at his men as they finally assembled, none of them daring to meet his gaze. He gestured for them to get into formation, not wanting to leave anything to chance. He would be protected when he entered enemy territory. He held his horse still as the animal shifted impatiently under him, waiting until the soldiers had surrounded him before ordering them to move off, cursing at the small size of their party. Once, he would have galloped from the castle with almost forty men, but now he was down to seven because of that attack. He ground his teeth at the memory of the black and red dragon merrily slashing its way through his troops, all because of one little boy. Even dead Yugi was still causing him trouble. And that was just the start.

That led him back to Seto's child, the one that he was still trying to hide from his father. But Gozaburo wasn't blind, he had noticed that the woman had stopped wearing dresses meant to seduce and tantalize and settled for some that were more modest and draped over her body. The abrupt change meant that she was hiding something, something that would not stay hidden for long. And he had caught them, standing at the ends of corridors as they cuddled together, thinking that he couldn't see them, Seto's hands resting protectively over her stomach. This brat would be as detrimental to his crown as Yugi's brat would be. Seto was sympathetic to the peasants, always fighting against everything that Gozaburo wanted to do. A child raised to think like that would leave him surrounded on all sides. He couldn't live forever, he wasn't stupid enough to think that the dragon would grant him eternal life. But he would eventually be deposed and replaced by someone who did not think like he did, leaving all his accomplishments in ruins.

At least there was still time to deal with Seto's child, he could keep an eye on the mother easily since they both insisted on staying in the castle. But the peasant's hope had to be taken care of immediately. Gozaburo cursed as his horse slipped in the mud as they made their way down the hill. He glanced up at the sky, scowling as he saw the dark clouds gathering. It would snow tonight, he could feel it. Which would mean that he would be stuck in the castle while the peasants fed their rebellious minds. His original plan was quickly fading into uselessness. Damn this weather and damn the peasants. He forced his horse faster, the guards that surrounded him having to move faster to keep up with their king.

Alternately holding his breath and cursing the clumsy horse, Gozaburo made it down the hill. He urged his horse across the muddy ground, ignoring the chunks that splattered against his legs. He only had eyes for the little village. He would find the girl and rip that child from her belly, making her watch as the brat died before he killed her. He had to smile at the image. That would teach the villagers to put their hope in such a meager thing. How easily it could be stolen away from them. A mere slice of a blade and everything was over, left to soak into the earth and disappear forever. Gozaburo chuckled darkly earning worried stares from his comrades. He shook their worry away, his smile refusing to disappear as they rode into the village.

He pulled out his blade as he pulled his horse to a stop in the village square, his escort thundering ahead and surrounding the shacks. Gozaburo saw a flash of red hair as a young woman peeked out from the ragged cloth that covered the entrance to one of the shacks before gasping and pulling back. The king didn't worry about her, yanking his horse around to stare at the villagers who were cringing in his presence. But it wasn't enough anymore. He knew what they did when he was out of earshot, they wouldn't be as subservient then. He growled and leaned over to plunge his blade into the heart of the nearest villager, laughing as the villager collapsed back onto the ground.

Gozaburo could almost imagine that it was Yugi lying there on the ground, but it lacked the elation that came with the death blow to the actual prince. Yugi had been unable to move, at his mercy. And it had been wonderful. Gozaburo smirked and glanced down at his blade, scowling at the stained surface. It almost made him wish that he had not allowed Seto to clean the blade. He wanted to be able to look down and know that he still carried the blood of that witch's son. But he would have to settle for this lowly commoner's blood and the blood of Yugi's brat, neither of which appealed to him as much. He gave a low curse before looking up to glare at the peasants, watching as they backed further away from the body and the horse, hoping to put themselves out of the reach of the sword. As the moved, Gozaburo delivered his ultimatum. "I will kill one of you every minute until that whore who is carrying the price's bastard comes out. Is one child's life really worth yours?"

Before they had time to answer, a woman stepped out of the shack that Gozaburo had been studying earlier. The king carefully kept his mask in place, nearly laughing as he recognized the girl who had tried to kill him once. The one that he had spent an enjoyable night with afterward. And she was the one saying that she was carrying Yugi's child? It was more likely to be his own, which was more incentive to kill the woman before she could continue to spread these lies. After all, he had Seto, and he didn't have the time to raise an heir from scratch, especially one birthed by one of these horrid peasants. He smirked at her and gestured her forward, watching as she hesitated before fully stepping away from safety.

"Tèa don't!" A blonde man rushed from the shack, grabbing her arm and pulling her back. He gave Gozaburo a look filled with contempt before looking back at the woman. "Don't you dare. Don't give in and take away our chance to stand on our own."

She pulled away from him with a harsh glare before continuing to walk forward, her arms wrapped around her belly like it would protect the child within. She stopped a good distance away from Gozaburo, the villagers inching close to protect her should anything go wrong. "I'm here."

Yes, it was the same girl, the same defiant look. Which meant that he hadn't broken her. The idea of taking her back with him emerged in his head for a moment before he shook it away. No, this had to be dealt with here to make an example to the people. Then they would finally settle down again and leave him to rule the kingdom in peace. Maybe then Seto would see the cause that he supported was hopeless, had been hopeless to begin with. The king raised his sword, smiling at her as she realized that the king could easily throw the blade at her. But she didn't back down; stubborn until the end.

Gozaburo drew his arm back, the sword dropping from his hand as a knife embedded itself into his shoulder. He screamed in pain, clawing at the knife as he attempted to draw it out, the echoes of the dragon's bellow of pain echoing over the valley. He yanked the blade from his shoulder, glancing around to see who had thrown it. There was no one in sight, all the villagers huddled around the woman as she glared up at Gozaburo, her smile never fading. He hissed with pain, dropping the knife to the ground. She thought she had won this round. She couldn't be more wrong.

"Move it, you!" Gozaburo jumped at the disrespectful address, his horse shying to the side and sending him tumbling from its back. He grunted as he landed face first in the mud, pressing himself closer to the ground as he heard the sound of the horse jumping over him. He pulled his face from the mud, glaring as the white haired man wheeled the palomino horse around, holding out his hand for the girl. She took it immediately, swinging on the animal in front of the man. He steadied her for a moment before leaping off, holding the reins as a brunette charged from the same shack, leaping onto the horse and holding the woman with one arm. The white haired man nodded, before whispering something up to the two of them and slapping the horse's rump. The palomino neighed its surprise and galloped out of the village, taking the woman out of his reach.

He could chase after the horse, but there was sure to be other members of this little resistance waiting for him in ambush. Gozaburo stood up, retrieving his sword and glancing around. The white haired man had disappeared back into the crowd as quickly as he had appeared. The king snarled and wiped the mud from his face before mounting his flighty horse again as motioning for his guards to move in closer, cursing their uselessness. He leveled a glared at the villagers before speaking loudly enough so they all could hear. "I want at least two men patrolling the streets of every village and two going after those two. Bring them back to me. I think a public execution will clear these dolts of their silly dream of rebellion."

He kicked his horse, turning it roughly in the direction of his castle. There were other matters that could wait until later. Right now, he needed all the men he had available searching for those two before they left the kingdom. He didn't want to risk sending men into the domain of another ruler with specific reasons for his actions. Chasing after the bastard of a dead, disinherited prince would not be one that would uphold his reputation. He looked over as the captain of what was left of his garrison rode up beside him. "My lord, I'm not sure that we will have enough men to do as you have ordered and protect you."

"Then pull from those that have retired. The lay-abouts have nothing better to do. Now, you were given orders, follow them!" He rode on before the captain could finish dismissing himself. He was in no mood for the intricacies of politics at the moment, he just wanted to get to his castle and clean up. Then he would have to think of a way to deal with his son. It was better to get this all out of the way now before anyone worked up the stomach to rebel. He would have order in his kingdom.

* * *

Ryou looked up as Bakura stumbled back to their campsite, wordlessly handing the thief his helping of stew that had been simmering over the fire. Bakura grimaced at the food, Ryou understanding his distaste for the same thing that they had been eating three months straight, but it was better than starving; which they were close to doing anyways. The worse part of winter was coming and it was getting harder to find food. Ryou knew that Bakura had been scouting out some of the minor nobles' houses, ready to start his campaign against them to keep them fed. But at least they had made it through the first part of the winter without being found, which was Ryou's biggest fear. A little longer and they would be safe as the knights were forced to keep to their lord's castle as the snows got too deep. He leaned back onto a rock and gave his lover a soft smile. "How is she doing?"

The thief looked up abruptly from his food, hesitating for a moment before deciding that the question could wait until he was done eating as he turned back to his stew. Ryou was too used to this to be bothered by the lack of manners, instead closing his eyes and enjoying the warmth of the patch of sunlight he had found. They had been keeping track of the woman Tèa since they had heard the rumors that she was carrying Yugi's child, which Bakura laughed off all too easily. The idea intrigued Ryou from a poet's stance and because the simple news had brought the populace alive. Now there was some hope for their situation, a chance to strike back against the cruel man who kept them in poverty while he hoarded all their wealth and food to himself. What puzzled Ryou was why this child was acceptable while Yugi wasn't.

Bakura had tried to explain to him one evening, saying that Yugi had the reputation of being the son of a witch. No sane person would want a potential warlock on the throne, especially after all the pain that Gozaburo was causing them. The appeal was in the fact that the child was coming from a commoner, one that would be raised to understand their point of view. Apparently, it was better that Yugi had died trying to kill Gozaburo, because it had improved his standing in the eyes of the people. Still, none of it made sense to Ryou. It was almost too fantastic for the poet to believe.

"He tried to kill her."

"Gozaburo tried to kill her." Ryou sat up with a gasp, staring at Bakura to see if the thief was playing with him. Bakura looked at his bowl, swiping one finger around the edge to catch the last drops of stew before placing it in his mouth and sucking on it. He let Ryou squirm for a while before taking his finger out and drying it on his pants. "But I got her out of there. Lost the horse though, but you could say it was for a good cause."

"Where are they going?"

"I told them to head north and look for Mahad."

Ryou wanted to get up and smack Bakura. "_We_ don't even know where he is. How are they supposed to find him?"

"You forget, Ryou, that I have my methods." Bakura leaned back, looking quite smug with himself. Ryou glared at the thief before giving in and letting himself settle into the pose of an attentive audience. The thief smirked, closing his eyes as he spoke. "I'm guessing that since Mahad was from the northern country, there wouldn't be too many knights. It's a safe bet that if they ask for a Sir Mahad, that they will find him quickly. Most people up there don't aspire to much besides seeing the sun at least four times in their life." Bakura paused to laugh at his own joke, making Ryou shift with impatience. The thief calmed down with a long sigh, shifting to a more comfortable position. "You worry too much, Ryou."

"It's my job, seeing as you worry too little." Ryou stood up and walked over to Bakura, slapping him on the shoulder as he walked past. He stopped as a hand reached out and grabbed a hold of his leg. Ryou glanced down and sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I'm really not in the mood, Bakura."

"I wasn't going to ask for that. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind if I took Thoth away for a while." Ryou paused, the lack of motion making Bakura open his eyes. "Only scouting for information. I'm not leaving you to this miserable life. I've grown too attached to you for that."

"I didn't know you cared." Ryou pulled his leg out of Bakura's grip, laughing at the snort that the thief gave. He pretended to think it over, knowing that Bakura would take the mule whether or not he gave his permission. This was Bakura's way of letting him know that he was leaving instead of just sneaking off in the middle of the night. The poet finally shrugged, giving an over exaggerated roll of his eyes. "I suppose you can. Just refrain from getting yourself killed."

Bakura jumped to his feet and pulled Ryou into a kiss, running his tongue across the poet's lips to encourage Ryou to open them. He pushed back, not breaking free. "I already told you no."

The thief managed to pout, taking all of Ryou's self control not to laugh. "But I'll be all alone for days. Just think, this time tomorrow, I could be freezing out in the wild without my poet to cuddle with."

Ryou gave up on trying to shove him away, knowing that Bakura would win in the end. They had gone through this conversation so many times before. He sighed and allowed Bakura to hug him, turning his head away so he could at least get the last word. "Feels like we're a married couple."

Bakura slipped his hands under Ryou's shirt, smirking at the poet gasped at the contact. He planted a chaste kiss on Ryou's lips before stealing the poet's small victory. "Might as well be, love."

* * *

Tèa clung onto Tristan as the brunette steered the horse through the muddy fields, yelping as the palomino made an awkward leap over ditch. Immediately, Tristan glanced down at her. "Are you okay?"

She rolled her eyes and tangled one of her hands in the mane, securing a hold since Tristan insisted she ride side saddle. "I'm not going to go into labor if that's what you mean. I'm fine. Just worry about steering."

She heard him snort before refocusing on the road before them. She would apologize for her snappy attitude towards him later, but the boys were used to her mood swings. After all, they were the ones who treated her like she was royalty, even though she tried to do things on her own. She had been dreading the day she actually started looking pregnant instead of the small bump she was sporting now and how the boys would react to that. But she would never get to find out and she wasn't sure if she was lucky because of that. All Tèa knew was that she was on a galloping horse heading for the north, acting on the instruction of a man they didn't know.

But at least it was Yugi's horse, she would recognize the palomino anywhere. She partially freed her hand from the whipping white mane to place a few fingers on its neck, sighing as she did so. It was stupid that she was still fawning over the prince like a teenager with a crush. She was nearly twenty-one, she should have gotten over this stage long ago. And the crush should have gone away since he was dead. She couldn't fantasize about seeing him again or hearing his voice around the corner and running into him. He was gone beyond her reach. But she had something of his to live for. Something that would help them all.

Tèa threaded her fingers back into the palomino's mane, smiling as she looked down at her stomach. She would protect this child no matter what. Every night she prayed for the child to stay safe, for it to have its father's eyes and not her own. The world needed someone with violet eyes in it, someone to look at the world and wonder at its marvels instead of cursing it for the lot in life that it had given them. Their people needed a ruler who would be kind and just, two things that Tèa was sure Yugi would have been. If anything, she wished that this child would be more like his father and look nothing like her at all.

"Heads." That was the only warning she got as Tristan sent the horse into a patch of trees and pulled it to a stop, wrapping his arm more securely around her. Tèa peered out through the branches, her heart beating faster as she saw the men on horseback go thundering by. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering, pressing back into her friend as she waited for the guards to disappear. Tèa breathed a sigh of relief while Tristan gave a low curse, turning the palomino and urging it deeper into the woods. Tèa looked up at her friend, demanding an explanation for the obscenity. "They're heading up to the village that I was planning to stop at for food and other supplies, unless that man was prepared for this event."

She glanced back at the bulging packs that hung off the saddle. Tristan didn't seem inclined to check them at the moment and she knew that he would not allow her to move from her spot in front of him to check. Sighing, Tèa looked up at him. "So, what do we do now?"

"We keep heading north and I'll slip into villages when I can. We can travel faster than the king's guards, we know the area better than they do."

"Until we hit the boarder, then we're relying on finding this Mahad." Tèa didn't like the idea of trusting her child's existence to one person, _if_ they found him at all. She didn't want to voice the question that they were both thinking, not wanting to let herself become weak with fear. She had to hold on for a while longer and then she could break down. Only when they were safe. "Until then, what do we do?"

Tristan shrugged. "I'll hunt or something. But, we should try and travel until we can't go on."

"Don't kill the horse!" Tèa shouted out the words on a whim, suddenly unable to bear the idea of hurting the beautiful palomino. Tristan gave her a strange look before finally nodding, probably counting the request as a product of her mood swings. Tèa didn't care. As long as the palomino was safe from harm, they would be alright. She could justify herself with thinking that they could easily sell the horse for a good price in the north or that having a healthy animal would be easier to escape on. But, in reality, it all came back to Yugi.

Everything came back to Yugi.

* * *

Atem gave a halfhearted snarl as Yugi reached out to steal a piece of meat from the carcass of the cow he had been devouring, giving the dragon a sweet smile before spearing the meat on a stick and holding it out expectantly. Atem rolled his eyes, trying not to sound amused. "You steal my food and expect me to cook it for you."

Yugi laughed, dissolving into a cute giggle that Atem wished he could hear more often before nodding, waving the stick in the air. "Please."

The dragon sighed and relented, spiting out a few flames to cook the meat before dropping his head back to his own meal. He gave a grumble as Yugi patted his side in thanks, settling into the bend that Atem's elbow made and chewing on the meat. Atem kept one eye on Yugi as he ate, wondering how the human could stand to be so close to him as he bolted down his meal, shooting glares at the dragons who came close. Four years had done its damage to him, making him extremely cautious of anything coming near his food, Yugi being the one exception to his rule. But then, Yugi was quickly becoming the exception to all his rules.

He wouldn't have helped any human, except Yugi. He would have swallowed any other human, except Yugi. He would have let any other human die, except Yugi. He wouldn't have torn open his chest and split his heart for any other human, except Yugi. He wouldn't fall in love with any human, except Yugi.

Atem gave a content sigh and pushed the bones of the cow away from and curled his head and tail around, tilting his head slightly so he could still see Yugi as the prince sat on his foreleg. Content with the arrangement, both human and dragon sighed and relaxed, Atem's eyes slowly closing. He smiled as he felt Yugi reach up and stroke his scales. Atem shifted slightly into the caress, the tip of his tail twitching as Yugi found a ticklish spot. He cracked open an eye to watch the human. He had missed closeness that he and Yugi shared when he was out in the desert and coherent enough to think. Equals instead of rivals, as the other male dragons treated him, or just an object to be captured like the females viewed him as. He lifted his head to nuzzle Yugi, neck protesting the cramped position. His human gave a faint squeak at the sign of affection before he allowed Atem to continue.

"Atem," he guessed that the sound was supposed to be a whine but it came out as a moan, "I'm trying to eat."

"It was mine first, Yugi." Atem let up, smiling as Yugi abandoned his post to sit on the ground by Atem's side. "And you stole it from this poor, starving dragon."

Yugi reached out to give a dragon a light shove, but the motion came after a moment of hesitation. Atem sighed, opening a wing to cover the human and his head. Yugi smiled his thanks before crawling over to hold Atem close. The dragon a soft trill, Yugi holding him tighter with the sound. "Yugi, I'm alright. I promise."

"But-"

"I'm alright. I'm here and I'm alright." Atem felt Yugi shiver, mumbling the rest of his sentence as he pressed his forehead against the dragon, stopping when Atem started to speak again. "You haven't lost me."

"It was close. My grandfather talked to me about it. He guessed that you had a few days before stuff started to die. And you would have starved to death and-"

"Yugi." He pushed the human onto his back, effectively stopping Yugi's rambling. Atem gave him a fond smile to apologize for his action before resting his muzzle on Yugi's stomach, the contact seeming to calm him down. "Stop worrying over trivial matters. I'm not going anywhere. Why would I? Everything I want is here."

"Atem-"

"Stop." Yugi shuddered and gasped at the warm air that ran over him with the order. "Just focus on the present."

The human reluctantly nodded before relaxing back onto the ground, content have Atem's head resting on him. Yugi reached up to stroke the scales he could reach, simply tracing around the edges. The two lapsed back into silence, Yugi taking the time to reassure himself that Atem wasn't leaving. Finally, Yugi spoke again, his fingers ceasing their movement for a moment. "So…mating season?"

Atem laughed at the reluctance in Yugi's voice. "Yes. I believe it starts tomorrow."

"Got your eye on anyone?" Atem gave Yugi a sideways glance, the truth on the tip of his tongue before he decided to confine his answer to his own species. He shook his head, listening to Yugi giggle as the action caused his shirt to ride up. Atem smiled at the sound, dropping his head to rest his muzzle on the exposed skin, eyes going wide in the next instant.

Yugi arched his back with a gasp, hands clamping down onto his muzzle to keep Atem from moving. "Hot!" The prince dropped his head back to the ground with a moan. "Gods, you're hot!"

Atem gave a startled rumble of his own, the vibrations making Yugi cry out again. He was too focused on the sensations that he was experiencing to notice Yugi writhing under him. The human's stomach was warm, much warmer than Yugi's hands, but still cooler than Atem's body temperature. Atem enjoyed the feeling of the soft skin and the contrast between their temperatures, nuzzling Yugi gently and listening to the soft mewl that Yugi gave. The dragon responded with a purr of contentment, wanting to hear more from the prince. Yugi obliged his unspoken plea by repeating the sound, the cry turning into a moan as Atem lifted his head, finding that the human was gazing at him through glazed violet eyes. "Atem…"

He took a deep breath to resist the temptation to rest his muzzle back on Yugi. If things got out of hand, he didn't want to hurt the human. He settled for laying his head back on the ground, Yugi immediately curling up close to him. The prince reinstated contact by returning to his slow tracing of Atem's scales. Atem dug his claws into the ground, resisting the urge to turn and nuzzle the human again. He scrambled to remember the question that Yugi had asked him, his voice shaking as he finally answered it. "No. I have no intention of trying to attract a mate. But I will be flying with the rest."

"Why?" The prince's voice was quiet, the human obviously still trying to collect his thoughts.

"Some of the females are really shy or trying to stay single themselves. It would be embarrassing if they had no one to fly with." Atem moaned as Yugi's fingers found a sensitive spot near the bottom of his jaw, noticing the sleepy smile that the prince gave. "Everyone else knows not to bother with me. I've told been telling them that I'm not interested."

"Really?"

Atem nodded, the motion pushing him closer to Yugi's rubbing fingers. "I wouldn't even be considered if I wasn't important because I spent most three months lying on the sand in misery."

"Important how?"

"It doesn't matter." Atem shook his head, not wanting to think about the title that was forced on him. As usual, the thought made him want to growl, cursing the dragon who had decided to bestow the accursed thing on him. "It's an empty title and I refuse to be a martyr for a cause that has yet to be decided."

His words seemed to soothe the human, but Yugi snapped into awareness at the last statement. He nudged the prince backwards, taking the chance to rub his muzzle across exposed skin to make the human moan again. Slowly, Yugi backed away, leaning against Atem's side as he drifted off to sleep, lulled by the warmth of the dragon. Atem looked down at the sleeping human, resting the tip of his muzzle on Yugi's shoulder and watching as the prince squirmed, a fond smile on his face. He dropped into a more comfortable position as close to Yugi as he could get, breathing in the scent of the human before allowing him to fall asleep.

Atem knew that it had only been a few moments when a set of claws scratched over him. He bared his teeth and pulled his head out from under his wing, snarling at Rex. The purple and brown dragon pretended to be taken aback before calmly folding his wings. Atem growled at the slight that Rex was dealing him, remaining standing while Atem was on the ground and obviously not moving. The polite gesture would be to join Atem on the ground. Rex tilted his head at the growl, obviously deciding to misunderstand it. The purple and brown dragon looked at the carcass of the cow, giving the bones a disgusted kick before he looked back at Atem. "Didn't you learn from the last time? You should eat more or you'll be trying to tear out your stomach again."

The black and red dragon snorted, not bothering to acknowledge the question with an answer. He lowered his head to rest on his forelegs, aware of Yugi's every movement by his side as the prince attempted to find a comfortable position. Atem grunted as Yugi accidentally elbowed his side, glancing back at his wing as Rex laughed, the purple and brown dragon standing up and flaring his wings for balance. "Oh, so you are going to pull out that act again to get out of flying tomorrow."

"It was never an act, Rex." Atem was careful to keep his voice low, not wanting to wake Yugi up. When the purple and brown dragon came back down to all fours and rolled his eyes, Atem growled. "I would like to see you survive for four years being hunted down daily and your food reduced to human flesh. See how well your stomach would deal with that."

"Oh, I would be fine great Morningstar." Rex smirked at the angry look the title drew from Atem. "I would be able to handle it better than you ever could, the weak dragon that you are. At least I would be able to deal with the pain without calling for my little lover."

Atem stiffened at the insinuation, his growl now becoming constant as Rex laughed and began to pace in front of Atem. The red and black dragon raised his head, eyes following Rex as the purple and brown dragon paced. "It was very entertaining to watch you writhe on the sand and scream. Who thought our precious Morningstar could ever be brought so low?" The dragon stopped for a moment, leaning close and making Atem draw his head back in disgust. "Who's Yugi?"

"What?"

"That's the name you were screaming." Rex rocked back onto his hindquarters, smirking at the look on Atem's face. "My favorite was 'No, please, don't hurt him'. Who's 'him' Atem? Lost your interest in females? Is that why you have been telling them that you're not looking for a mate? Already have a lover?"

Rex ignored the strangled snarl, walking around Atem. The black and red dragon relaxed as Rex moved from his line of sight, hoping that the dragon had decided to go torment someone else. He tensed as he felt a weight settle onto his back, biting back a whimper at the pain that the weight caused to the wing that he still had spread over Yugi. The sound managed to escape as claws dug into his shoulders, the laugh that follow the action making him turn his head around, eyes widening as he found himself staring into Rex's black eyes. The dragon smirked before pressing more of himself against Atem, the red and black dragon shuddering at the unwanted contact. He stiffened at the laugh that Rex gave. "Do you like that Atem? Do you make that sound for Yugi when he does this?"

Atem's patience snapped. He roared and rolled over, the move upsetting Rex and sending him crashing onto the ground. The purple and brown dragon landed on his back, Atem taking the moment of confusion to plant one hand on Rex's chest, claws digging in around the beating heart. Rex glanced up at him before laughing, pressing his head back into the ground. "Good one, Atem."

The black and red dragon snarled, shifting so he was also resting a back foot on Rex, casually digging the spur on the back of the foot into the other dragon's stomach. Rex whimpered at the pain, trying to claw at Atem. He merely laughed, pulling his head out of the range of the weak blows. "Who said I was joking, Rex? Four years of hiding in caves and fighting off humans might have driven me crazy."

The purple and brown dragon sputtered for a moment before he tried to gather his defense. Rex turned his head to the side with a snort, still flinching from the pressure of the claws on his scales. "But I bet you liked it when I mounted you."

Atem snarled, grabbing Rex's neck in his mouth and giving a weak shake. It wouldn't do to kill the dragon now, but he wanted to threaten him. His status among the dragons right now was only upheld by his title, and then only barely. To most of them, he was still weak and had to prove himself again. Atem was more than willing to do so. He released Rex's neck, keeping his teeth just above the scales so when he talked they dug into the scales. "Give me one good reason not to kill you."

"Atem." The sound of Yugi's voice brought him out of his daze. He looked over to the human, watching Yugi absently rubbed one shoulder. Atem immediately felt guilty. The pain from Rex's body on his wing must have woken Yugi up and Yugi had no idea what was going on. Atem looked back at Rex before snorting in disgust and pushing the purple and brown dragon further into the ground before walking back over to the human. He dropped his head to look at Yugi's shoulder, nuzzling the area as Rex clambered back to his feet.

"There's one thing that the humans made you, Atem, unnatural. Your job is to find a mate, produce chicks and then die nobly for our cause; not allow yourself to be distracted by your love for this Yugi." The purple and brown dragon spat a small flame before storming off into the night, Atem glaring after him before hanging his head with a sigh. The other dragons hadn't given him this much trouble, but Rex was young and had the heady advantage of being larger than Atem, like most of the younger dragons were. He growled to himself before lying back on the ground, looking at Yugi.

The prince was staring off in the direction that Rex had stomped off in, violet eyes wide; Atem couldn't decide if it was fear or shock, although he hoped it was the latter. Hesitantly, Atem moved back to Yugi, stopping himself before he nuzzled the prince, feeling that he had lost that right. Or the right to any contact with the way he had avoided Yugi's questions to save himself from embarrassment.

The black and red dragon sighed before stretching out on the ground, resting his head back on his forelegs. His eyes widened as Yugi walked over, rolling his shoulder in an attempt to rid it of residual pain. Atem gave him a sheepish glance, feeling responsible for the injury to the human. If he had chased Rex off sooner…

"What did Rex do to make your wing hurt?" Atem looked back over at Yugi and wished he hadn't. The prince had taken off his shirt, the article of clothing dangling from one hand as Yugi reached up to rub the sore muscles with the other, hissing in pain. Without thinking, Atem motioned him over, watching in awe as Yugi obeyed. The moonlight caused the human's pale skin to glow, making it nearly impossible for Atem to resist touching Yugi. The dragon shook his head, pointing as his side with his muzzle.

"Heat will help that."

Yugi gave him a smile before settling back down by Atem's side, moaning as he leaned his bare back against the dragon. Atem gritted his teeth to keep any sound from escaping, closing his eyes as he felt Yugi squirm until the human had found a comfortable position. He had expected Yugi to put his shirt back on before doing this. He leaned into the colder body, a strangled moan escaping him, the sound causing Yugi to sit up and look at him. "Are you alright?"

"Yes." He was lying through his teeth, but Yugi was making things very difficult for him right now. He dug his claws into the ground, looking away from the human until Yugi had moved back into his original position, one hand tugging gently at the edge of the wing he could reach, Atem automatically dropping it back over the human and tucking his head under the wing. The move was greeted by a brilliant smile from the prince, Yugi reaching out to run his hand down Atem's head.

"So, what did Rex do to make you react like that?"

Atem turned his head so it was pressed against Yugi, instinctually hiding from sight when he was embarrassed. He realized what he had just done when he felt the human shiver at the increased contact. Unconsciously, Atem leaned closer to Yugi, wanting to be able to feel as much skin as he could. His reply came out as a mumble. "He mounted me."

"He did what?" Yugi pulled Atem's head away from his side only far enough to see if the dragon was joking. Atem just blinked miserably up at Yugi, his mortification turning quickly to surprise when the prince sighed and reached to rub the spot above Atem's eye. The dragon waited for Yugi to speak, the hope disappearing at the look in the prince's violet eyes. There was anger there and possessiveness, something that Yugi almost never showed. Atem lowered his eyes, staring at the ground as Yugi gave him one last stroke before snuggling back into the dragon, using his rolled up shirt as a pillow. "Night Atem."

And just like that, the conversation was over.

Atem stared at Yugi as the prince dropped off to sleep, his face relaxing. The dragon sighed and nuzzled the human, purring as he did so. Yugi gave a small moan, one hand moving from its place on the ground to rest on Atem's muzzle. The dragon smiled to himself and let the hand rest there, lowering his head so it rested partially on Yugi's lap and partially on the ground, letting himself be carried away by sleep. He would worry about the implications of the conversation with Rex later.

* * *

_Please read and review. Constructive criticism is always welcome._


	10. Mates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do, however own bits of the plot.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do, however own bits of the plot.

**Warning:** Lemon. Not only that but a first attempt at a lemon.

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* * *

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**Chapter Ten: Mates**

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**A man by noble name and not by birth right'  
Did burn in the flames that night.**   
_

It was probably a bad idea to have come down to the village. Ryou flinched as another person walked close to him, pressing his sweating palms back against the shack. He closed his brown eyes and took a deep breath before leaning forward to peer around the corner. No matter how stupid the impulse bad been to come down here, Ryou was still glad that he had done so.

Soldiers mounted on horses herded the villagers into the center of the village, making them stand in front of Gozaburo and the priest who held a flaming torch in his hand. The king's cold blue eyes scanned over the peasants before staring directly at one. He motioned the priest forward as the soldiers forced a young man out of the crowd. Ryou got a glimpse of green eyes before the man was forced to his knees, the soldiers binding his arms behind his back. Ryou shrank back to his hiding place as the priest looked up, spreading his arms as he spoke. "You are in danger of losing your immortal souls, my children! You allowed yourselves to be ruled over by a man under the enchantment of a witch! You allowed the son of the witch to grow into adulthood and sire a child of his own! Not only that, but you allowed the child to escape. I urge you to tell us where the mother is heading so that the proper actions can be taken!"

There was silence following the announcement, the villagers looking around themselves. Ryou gripped the side of the building tighter; trembling as a few of the villagers appeared like they were going to talk, holding their tongues at the last minute. As the moments passed, Gozaburo became more restless and Ryou relaxed. As much as these people feared for their souls, the admonishing of one priest was not going to turn them against the child that they had placed their hopes and dreams on. Now the girl and her child would have the time to get to Mahad, this action by Gozaburo showing that he had already lost them.

"Burn this one, that blonde and the red head." Ryou stiffened at the cruel order, stepping away from the shack. Gozaburo yanked his horse around, obviously tired of dealing with the peasants. "They are the ones who protected her."

The soldiers acted on their king's orders, shoving through the crowd towards the victims. The villagers reacted by pushing the two victims toward the back, closer to Ryou. The poet hesitated for a moment before lunging forward and elbowing his way through the crowd. He reached out to grab the blonde's shoulder, dodging a punch thrown by the young man. He gave a smile of apology to the startled young man before tugging them away from the crowd. "Come on."

The blonde paused long enough to scoop the red head into his arms before racing after Ryou. The poet glanced over his shoulder once to see if they were coming before dodging the soldiers that were coming after them. He pulled his bow from where it was slung over his shoulder to use against swords, catching attacks and shoving them away. Since they had been in the back of the group and away from the main body of soldiers, Ryou and the blonde hit open ground quickly, Ryou keeping a tight hold on his bow as they raced for the forest. Behind them, the cheers started as the villagers realized what was happening. Feeling good, Ryou gave a final wave before pushing through the forest. The two young men exchanged weak smiles, slowing under the cover of the trees. Hopefully they could lose their pursuers in the forest.

Their euphoria disappeared at the pained scream that came from the village, the wind shifting to bring the scent of smoke and burning flesh to them. Ryou choked on air as the circumstances added up in his mind. That first young man must have not been taken away from his captors, and now there were burning him, as ordered. The poet held a hand up to him mouth as he struggled to suppress his gag reflex at the smell, stepping away from the blonde in case he _did_ lose control. He looked up abruptly as the blonde jerked forward. "Duke!"

"No!" Ryou winced as the blonde glared at him. "We have to get out of here before they do that to us!"

The blonde hesitated for a moment, looking down at the girl he held in his arms before finally nodding. Ryou pulled him in the right direction, letting go as they both settled into a jog. The poet looked over at the girl, his heart sinking as she realized that, even though she was blind, she knew exactly what was going on. She had her head tucked into the blonde's chest, whimpering. His decision to keep going, although it was the right one, still felt wrong. It was not in his nature to leave another behind. He was still suffering guilt from allowing Yugi to run off to slay the dragon on his own.

He jumped at the sound of hoof beats, quickly pulling the blonde onto the rocky path that led to their hideout. But, if the soldiers were still after them, then they couldn't stop for long; long enough for him to grab the things that had been left behind by Bakura. Then they would have to hope for the best. Ryou could only hope that they would find Bakura before he messed up their chances, because the thief would be better at finding them a place to hide. But Bakura had said that no one would find them while they were up at the waterfall. Ryou shook his head to clear it of thoughts, nearly falling on the treacherous path.

They sprinted from the path to the small bit of forest that boarded the bank of the river, the thunder of the waterfall masking the sound of hoof beats. Ryou dashed out into the open, hurriedly gathering up the few belongings he had, not hearing the blonde until he rested a hand on Ryou's shoulder, shouting to be heard over the waterfall. "What are you doing? There's a dragon here!"

"Not anymore!" Ryou bit his lip at the mention of the dragon. It had disappeared with Yugi three months earlier like Mahad had done, leaving them alone without a protector. The poet shook his head, carelessly slinging his bow over his shoulder and holding the pack over his head, not wanting any of his work to get wet. Although, he was sure that he could rewrite it if any damage was sustained. It was better to be safe in the end. He walked to the bank of the river, stepping into the frigid water before looking at the blonde. "Come on!"

The blonde followed him, whispering something to the girl that he held before jumping into the water and wading through it. Ryou stumbled along behind the blonde, his shorter stature making it difficult to keep up. He began to shiver, holding the pack of his chest as he stepped up onto the opposite bank, nodding at the blonde before jogging off. The two easily lost themselves among the trees, ducking behind trunks as the soldiers rode up to the opposite side of the river, talking amongst themselves in low voices. Ryou watched them and mentally cursed the fact that they were not leaving.

"Why are they just standing there?" Ryou glanced over at the blonde as he muttered to himself, leaning out from behind his hiding place. "There's a dragon here. It must have heard us already."

The poet opened his mouth to correct the blonde when something dropped from the sky with a roar. Ryou fell to one knee as the blonde curled himself around the girl. The dragon circled low over the open space before dropping into the river with a splash. The soldiers scattered, sending their horses racing back into the trees as the dragon stood up from its crouch, sniffing the air before turning its head to look directly at them. It gave a laugh, stepping partially out of the water. "You humans are so easy to scare." The dragon's tail twitched in its mirth, matching the smile that was on its face. "You can come out, I won't eat you. Nasty little things. Humans are very bad for me, you make my stomach complain."

Ryou was the first to step out, drawn by the resemblance of this dragon to Yugi's dragon, the same configuration of the horns and body type. But this one's scales were gold, shading lighter into an almost silver color on the underside of the dragon. And this dragon had lavender eyes, much friendlier than the crimson eyes that Yugi's dragon had. The scales around this dragon's eyes were black, outlining the edges of the eyes. The dragon gave a snort, reminding Ryou that he was openly staring. He ducked his head, making the dragon laugh again. "Why would armed soldiers chase after you? You aren't anybody important to the humans."

"We just need to get out of Gozaburo's kingdom."

The dragon nodded, casting a look over his shoulder. "I don't blame you. I've been staying up north, but the dragon-slayer settled up there and I thought that it was time to return south. Hopefully, I've missed all that mating season nonsense." He clambered all the way onto the bank before stretching out on the ground, pushing one foreleg out further than the other. "Get on. I might as well take you along."

"Why? Isn't it beneath you?"

The dragon snorted, rolling his eyes. "You must have been talking to Atem. They way I see it; I'm doing us both a favor. I still go south but I have a reason to explain my absence and you get away. Plus, I don't want to have to save all of you again." Ryou hesitated, plucking nervously at the sleeve of his shirt as he stared at the dragon. The creature finally growled, sticking its neck out so it was nearly nose-to-nose with Ryou. "Listen, human, don't look for an ulterior motive because there isn't one. It's simply that we are going the same way. We'll save energy and help each other, like it used to be." The dragon pulled back with a huff. "I swear, you humans get stupider with each generation."

"How can we trust you?" The blonde stepped out the trees, now holding the red head's hand, still keeping her close. The dragon tilted its head to look at the two, its gaze continually sliding over the girl. "Dragons have caused nothing but problems for people, always stealing our animals to fill their bellies."

The dragon shrugged. "One must eat. Is she blind?"

The blonde pushed the girl behind him. "What if she is?"

"I have someone who might be able to cure her."

"Her eyes were burned out."

The dragon winced. "Then it might take a little longer, and probably a favor from Atem. But it could happen, only if you will come with me."

Ryou scrambled up onto the dragon, too intrigued by the promise to even consider listening to his fear. He had never seen real magic before, only heard the condemnations of the priests and the older stories that told of times when all could do magic. The poet reached down to help the girl up, holding her tightly as she nearly overbalanced. He gave her a smile before looking down at her protector, who was glaring up at the two of them. The dragon shook its head, lowering his head to return the glare to the blonde. "Tell me why I would harm humans who have done nothing to harm me? It makes no sense; except, apparently, in your human logic."

"Fine!" The blonde threw up his hands and stormed over the dragon, clambering up onto the dragon's back and giving a very unmanly yelp as the dragon stood up and flapped its wings a couple of times. It turned its head and gave them a slightly manic smile before launching itself into the air. Ryou pitched forward, clinging to the girl in front of him as they rose into the air. The dragon circled a few times before turning south with quick wing beats. It tipped its head to look back at them. "We'll be arriving at our destination late tonight. No sense in enjoying the flight down there with humans inclined to complain."

The blonde huffed and looked away while the red head laughed. She reached out to pet the dragon, letting out a gasp at the texture of the scales. "So soft and warm."

The dragon laughed, lowering its head to scan the forest below them as it flew, probably still on the look out for Gozaburo's soldiers. Ryou reached up with one hand to hold his bow, looking down at well. It was probably best to have two pairs of eyes searching the ground.

* * *

Bakura shook his drenched hair out of his face, glancing through the trees. The short rainstorm had caught him by surprise, leaving him soaked and annoyed. The thief tugged on the reins, the mule following his master happily. Bakura glanced back at Thoth, giving the reins a shake to get the animal's attention. "You're a mule, act stubborn for once instead of prancing!"

Thoth ducked his head and looked at Bakura with wide brown eyes. The thief groaned and pushed the mule away. "You've been spending too much time with Ryou."

He sobered at the reminder of his lover, stroking the mule's muzzle absently before moving forward. He had to keep moving to find a place where he and Ryou could safely hide. Gozaburo would be searching the hills once that girl gave him the slip, which would be bad news for him and the poet. The soldiers' fear of their king was greater than the fear of the dragon. Bakura rubbed his face, turning to tie Thoth to a tree before scrambling up the trunk. From a higher vantage point he would be able to see where he was going, as well as pin pointing possible places for them to hide. He yelped as he slipped on the tree, clinging to the wet bark until he regained his balance. Cursing the rest of the way up, Bakura pushed his head out of the evergreen's needles, carefully planting his feet so he wouldn't fall over. He began to scare the area, praying that he would see something.

The forest rolled on around him, the seemingly unending sea of branches taunting him. He bit back another curse as he punched the branch he was on. Soon the snows would be worse and they would lose their chance to run. He shifted, squinted as something caught his eye. The forest gave way to flat land in the distance, the change barely visible to him. Bakura's eyes widened as he stared in that direction, mentally estimating the length of time it would take Ryou and him to get there. He shook his head before scrambling back down the tree and dropping to the ground. He reached out to calm Thoth out of habit as he thought over the plan that was forming.

There had always been stories about the clans who lived in the south, but he had thought that the previous king had destroyed all of them; which would be perfect for them because Gozaburo wouldn't follow them. But he had thought that about the last place. That would teach him to do a good deed again. And there was a chance that there _would_ be people instead of the empty plains that he was expecting, people who were less inclined to turn them over to the king. Bakura nodded to himself before swinging up onto Thoth and giving the mule a kick, pulling on Thoth until they were heading back to where Ryou was waiting for him. Bakura smile as the mule lurched into a gallop, surprised at the speed the animal was going at.

If his estimation was right, it would only take a week to reach the end of the forest, if they kept up a good pace. It was a good amount of time to get away from Gozaburo, considering that Bakura had managed about a day of travel before he had come to this plan. He became lost in his thoughts, not noticing when Thoth gave a frightened bray and tried to run away, Bakura simply pulling on the reins to slow the mule. He scowled as Thoth began to attempt to dart off to the sides, leaning forward to glare at the creature. "What is wrong with you?"

The thief looked up at the sound of wing beats, pushing the almost familiar sound of his mind until Thoth began to buck in an attempt to ease the hold that Bakura had. He growled as he pulled the mule's head back up, tipped his head back in time to see a set of claws close around him and the mule. There was a grunt as the dragon pushed off the ground and took off. Bakura clung to Thoth as the ground dropped away beneath him, cursing and glancing up. His mouth dropped open as he saw Ryou waving at him from the dragon's back, the poet entirely too cheery for the situation. The thief sat up on the squirming mule, shaking his head as the poet laughed. "What are you doing?"

"Getting a ride to safety."

Safety? "What did you do?"

Leave it to Ryou to attract trouble while he was gone. Bakura looked up at the dragon before glancing back at Ryou, raising an eyebrow in a demand for an answer.

"Later!" Bakura gave a huff at the casual brush off of his question. He cursed and sat back, staring down at Thoth as the mule's struggling slowed, the animal quickly exhausting himself. Bakura waited until Thoth went limp in the dragon's hold before he stroked the mule's neck, trying to comfort them both as he seethed internally. He hated not being in control and having information withheld; it usually meant that he was in danger. He hated the feeling of being helpless; it brought up too many bad memories. He tangled his fingers into Thoth's short mane and took a deep breath to calm himself before glancing around. At least they were heading in the right direction.

* * *

Tèa was shaken from her sleep, wincing at the stiffness in her neck and back from her cramped position against Tristan. She rubbed her eyes, realizing that the horse had stopped moving. She blinked and looked down the hill that they were halfway down, her eyes following the pine forest until it became fields, grass just beginning to yellow around the edges and dark clouds threatening rain above them. Tèa tipped her head to the side, enjoying her first glimpse of a new country. She continued to stare as Tristan urged the palomino forward, the horse stumbling it its exhaustion. She patted the horse's neck, speaking more to it than to Tristan. "At least we got away from Gozaburo."

"Yes, but now we have to find this Mahad. And who knows how long that will take." Tristan looked resolutely ahead, keeping one arm around her waist to steady her as the horse tripped again. "In the meantime, it would be best to pretend that we were married around everyone but Mahad."

"But-"

"I know you want to remain loyal to the prince, but it is for your own good. You won't be treated like a whore while you are here, I won't let that happen. Besides, it would be safer if no rumor spreads this time. Perhaps we can even give this kid the start of a normal life."

Tèa smiled fondly, resting one hand on her stomach. Soon they would all be safe from Gozaburo; the king was too cowardly to attack a neighboring kingdom. He was more inclined to wallow in his riches and pretend that she no longer existed, probably breaking the spirit of the people. But she wasn't going to let that happen. They had been too long under the control of Gozaburo. Tèa jolted out of her thoughts as Tristan turned the horse to the side as the palomino let out a whinny. There was a response from the small town at the base of the hill, from a brown horse by the fields. The man astride it looked up abruptly, hesitating before kicking his horse into a canter towards them.

Tristan tensed, getting ready to move when Tèa placed a hand on his arm. The man didn't draw the sword that was resting against his side, so he was not coming to harm them. She was curious as to why he had even come to investigate them, another pair of people running from Gozaburo. They couldn't have been the only ones desperate enough to flee from the harsh rule and certainly not interesting enough to draw the attention of a rich man, as the horse and sword marked him to be.

The man pulled his horse to a halt, the two animals trying to touch noses as their riders pulled them back. The man stared at the palomino horse before glancing up at the two riders. Tèa was surprised to see open shock on his face as he looked at them, one hand reaching up to brace on the neck of his horse. "Please, tell me where you got this horse."

"Is it yours?" Tristan nudged the palomino over, placing Tèa out of reach as the man continued to stare intently at them. Both of the peasants relaxed as the man shook his head.

"No, but I would recognize it anywhere. It belonged to the prince."

"Are you Mahad?" Tèa clamped her hands over her mouth as she blurted the question out, drawing the man's attention to her. She ducked to avoid Tristan's glare, sure that she had spoiled everything when she caught the end of the nod that the man gave. She sat up straight, staring directly at him. "You are Mahad."

"Yes." He gave a short bow with a sharp laugh. "Former protector to the prince of the kingdom below, but no more. Now, I merely help my father oversee those under his care. And what are you two doing here?"

"The king ordered her death," Tristan nodded toward Tèa, "so we escaped while we could. The man who gave us this horse told us to find you."

Mahad shifted on his horse, looking down at the ground. "I don't know what I can do for the two of you, but I do commend you for getting your wife out of danger."

"I'm not his wife." Tèa saw Mahad look up in confusion, probably noting the careful way that Tristan held her. She gave the knight a smile, wanting to be sure that he was looking at her when she spoke. "I've seen you before, Mahad. I was at the village where you and the prince stopped before you attacked the castle and I was at the village where you rode from to come here. And I need your protection now, because the prince's child is in danger."

"Yugi's…" Mahad stared at her for a long time, his mouth open in shock. Tèa sat back, stroking the palomino's neck as she waited for the announcement to sink in. The former protector of the prince rocked back in his saddle, nearly falling off his horse as his eyes widened. He sat back up, staring at Tèa. "If this is a lie, you will not be able to stop me from killing you."

"It's not a lie, Mahad." Tèa kept her smile, feeling Tristan grip her tighter with the threat that the knight has issued. "I promise that. We had to run to keep it safe from Gozaburo. But all the villagers were willing to support this child when he grows. This is their one hope and they will fight so it can have a place on the throne."

Mahad sighed, rubbing his temples before jerking his head down toward the village. "Come, I will take you back to my father's lands, but you will stay in the village. I'll make up a story so that you can stay there and in my sight. I will do my best to keep you safe, but don't take that as support for your cause. I have no reason to keep fighting anymore."

"Would you fight for Yugi's child?"

The knight paused, in the middle of asking his horse to turn around. His hands tightened on the reins, the motion almost unnoticeable. Mahad glanced back at Tèa, seeming to think it over before giving a curt nod. "I owe it to Yugi. I carelessly wasted his own life. I will make sure that his child has a better life than his father."

Tèa returned the nod, Tristan urging the palomino after the knight. She watched the knight for a while before looking back around at the country that they were in. It seemed to be a nice place to be, even though she was still worried about her friends back in the village. What plans would Gozaburo have for them? She shook her head, refocusing her gaze on the road ahead. All she could do was look ahead and hope for the best.

* * *

Yugi leaned back onto his hands, looking up to watch as a few dragons wheeled on the early morning thermals. He restlessly drummed fingers on the ground as he waited, looking around at the others of the clan who had gathered to watch the dragons perform their courtship dances. A few of the mated pairs were sprawled out in the open space, talking to human friends or conversing with some of the older dragons. Yugi jumped as Hermos wandered over to stretch out by him, eyes not leaving the sharp horn that was on the tip of the dragon's muzzle. His eyes traveled over the spikes that decorated the back of the red dragon, forcing a smile on his face when Hermos looked over at him.

To his surprise, the red dragon chuckled, giving himself a shake, the motion making the spikes on his back rattle together. "Don't worry; I'm not plotting to kill you. You just picked out the best place to watch this. Besides, Atem would attempt to murder me if I touched you."

"A…" Yugi cleared his throat as his voice cracked. "He would?"

Hermos gave a short laugh, abruptly cutting off the sound as he stared at the human. Yugi shifted nervously under the calculating gaze of the dragon, glancing down at his pants until Hermos had looked away, listening to the dragon sigh. The prince looked up through his bangs, watching Hermos stare up at the sky. The dragon sensed his gaze and looked at Yugi out of the corner of his eye. "Atem suffered abuse from humans for four years and then he gives up half his heart to save you. You must mean something special to him if he is willing to risk his own health for that."

"I saved his life before." Yugi was trying to steer away from the conversation, the confusion that had bugged him most of the night. He remembered faking sleep to wait until Atem had fallen asleep and then had spent the rest of the night watching the dragon, occasionally reaching out to soothe him when Atem seemed to be suffering from bad dreams. But it had given him time to think over everything that he had heard. The purple and brown dragon, Rex, had accused Atem of loving him, not knowing that Yugi was human. And Atem hadn't denied any of the claims, but he hadn't spoken about it. Yugi preferred not to think about his relationship with the dragon, the conversation with Bakura from what seemed like lifetimes ago still running through his head. Even the thief had been able to see that there was something more between him and the dragon that the fascination that they both used as an excuse. And there was no reason that Yugi should have enjoyed the dragon's touch as much as he had. Yugi shrugged, his thoughts scattering. "It was merely returning the favor."

"Yugi," the prince jumped at the use of his name having thought that the dragon didn't know it, "Atem cares about you. He's warned off all the females to be able to stay close to you."

"He said-"

Hermos snorted, stretching out one hind leg. "He says many things. But, his reaction when we told him what we had done to him and he was coherent enough to understand was to curse us for putting you in danger. He ranted for about an hour before Timaeus managed to calm him down. And it took everything we had to keep him there instead of flying back to you as soon as he thought he was ready."

"Nobody could possibly want Atem with me." Yugi chewed on his bottom lip. "He's important to all of you. Rex said that his job was to produce chicks and then die for your cause. With me…he can't do that."

"Ah, the cause." Hermos sighed, his eyes raking over the few dragons that were still posturing on the ground. Yugi found his gaze focused on Atem, staring at the black and red dragon as he scanned the crowd. Their eyes met and held, Yugi suddenly reluctant to look away from Atem. The prince was aware of the females who were circling in the sky, jealous of them. They were the ones who got to fly with Atem, the ones who got to hold his attention for brief moments while he was stuck on the ground. Atem would be kept away with him until night fell, meaning that Yugi would have to stay on the sidelines all day. It wasn't fair.

"To be honest, I don't think anyone knows what the cause actually _is_." Yugi quickly looked back at Hermos, blushing as the dragon gave him a smug look. "There are those who think that we should kill all humans while there are those who believe that we should try to reinstate our friendship with humans. Neither is going to happen on the scale that we want it. Humans in the kingdoms don't understand the old ways like the humans do here. They are scared of change and resist it by hiding behind their stone castles. To kill humans would lead to useless slaughter that would end the dragons. As for Atem's place in this," Hermos shook his head, "that title is empty and useless. Atem was just born in a time when the humans were starting to turn against us and we panicked. That's how a chick, got chosen for the task of sacrificing himself for the sake of all dragons."

"Does he know this?"

"Atem was probably the first to figure the title out. As for the rest of the dragons, they still cling to the hope that Atem will do as he is destined, even though it goes against all instincts. They threaten that they will take the title away from him, which is more of a blessing than a threat." Hermos paused for a minute, tapping a claw against the ground. "But I do think that dragon who gave Atem the title was right about one thing."

"What?" Yugi turned to look at Hermos, surprised to find the dragon studying him closely.

"The Morningstar is supposed to lead the dragons by example, show them how to live their lives. And Atem is doing just that, if they only knew how to look." The last word was nearly drowned out by the cheer that the observers gave as the male dragons launched themselves into the air.

Yugi joined in the shout as he saw that Atem was the first off the ground, easily beating Rex and the others as he sought out a thermal and began to rise on it. A female from the outside of the group hesitated for a moment before shyly joining him. Yugi raised a hand to block the sun, smiling as he watched Atem give a nod of his head before beginning to circle around the female, careful not to touch her. Their dance had barely begun when another male shot from the group of males who were scanning the flying females, pulling her away. Atem quickly switched directions, using the thermal to rise up into the air and observe the dragons from above. Yugi smiled to himself, letting his eyes drop to the other dragons, noticing the series of acrobatics that the males put on to attract the females to them. Atem only dove back into the mass a couple more times, rising twice with another female. The longest one lasted was three minutes before a male stole her away.

The prince let his eyes drop from the antics in the sky when Atem had been hovering above the group for five minutes. He tangled one hand in the short blades of grass, eyes becoming unfocused as he thought. It was obvious that Atem was going to keep himself unattached for as long as Yugi lived, no matter what happened. That kind of devotion was new to the prince, being much more used to the girls who flirted with him on a temporary basis until another noble became more attractive to them. Yugi had always seen himself as one who would only love one person, wincing at the memory of the girl in the village before his stabbing. That had been a mistake, the one time his judgment had slipped and he was not about to do that again. He learned from his mistake. And the only time anything had seemed right in the past four years was when he was with Atem. The dragon was the one that Yugi found always on his mind.

Was that was love really was? An extended fascination with someone?

Yugi flopped backwards onto the ground with a sigh, closing his eyes as he wracked his brain for the answer. The bards and poets that he had listened to had always made love seem like a whirlwind of untamable, violent emotions that took control of a person. But Yugi had never felt more in control than now. It was nothing like the stories, nothing that he had ever experienced. And that was what confused him. How was he supposed to know what it was when he had never experienced love before? He guessed he had experienced lust with that girl in the village, but never love. Yugi sighed and ran a hand through his hair, resisted the urge to groan in confusion.

"Don't bother, you'll never figure it out." Yugi looked up as Hermos spoke, the red dragon smiling down at him before returning his gaze to the dragons in the sky. "_I_ still haven't figured it out, even after those wonderful years with my mate."

"I'm sorry." Yugi saw Hermos nod, acknowledging the apology. The red dragon's tail twitched before he spoke again.

"All I know is that it's different for everyone but just as confusing. And I don't think anyone has ever figured it out. So, I just gave up and enjoyed it. I advise you to do the same."

Yugi reached up and rested a hand over the scar on his chest, rubbing the area through the rough fabric of his shirt as he thought things over. Something nagged at the back of his mind, slowly unfolding as he watched Atem pull out of his hover and lazily circle over the flying dragons, sometimes executing a loop or two on his own. The poets had always said that you gave your heart to the one you loved, and Atem had literally done that. Somehow, the simple thought banished all of Yugi's confusion, leaving him with clear thoughts. He sat up and looked over at Hermos. "Can dragons do magic?"

The question earned a scoff as the red dragon rolled his eyes. "Can dragons do magic? Of course we can! We are about the only creatures left who can."

"Then, could you turn me into a dragon, just for a little bit." Yugi looked up, his hand clenching in the fabric of his shirt. Atem had been showing his love to Yugi for a while now, and it was Yugi's turn to respond. He shifted to face Hermos. "I want to be able to fly with him, to show that I love him too."

"You're a brave human, Yugi." Hermos stood up, stretching as he did so. "There is a chance that you could be stuck like that."

Yugi shrugged and rose to his feet. "I have nothing waiting for me back home. Everything that I want is here."

Hermos glanced over his shoulders before walking off, Yugi jogging to keep up with the dragon. He glanced once over his shoulder at Atem, a smile crossing his face. He wasn't hesitant about this decision, like almost all the others he had made in his life, except when he had decided to save Atem. It wasn't like he was going to lose anything. In fact, he would gain someone who saw him as Yugi instead of the prince, someone to use to get rid of their problems. Yugi was reluctant to try and fight against Gozaburo again; if he lost then he would be dead. If he won then he would be ruling a kingdom, and he knew that he was unfit for that job. Seto was much better than he was, his cousin being able to handle the nobles and large crowds of people vying for attention. Those situations just made Yugi want to find a corner to hide in. He would abdicate the first chance he got. Anything to be able to stay out here with Atem in this little corner of peace.

He nearly ran into Hermos as the dragon stopped, motioning for Yugi to stand in front of him. The dragon briefly circled Yugi before sitting back on his haunches, tapping the ground with one claw. "As a warning, this may hurt. Just close your eyes a picture a dragon in your mind to help guide the magic."

He was about to do so when Hermos gave a trill, the red dragon seeming confused about something. Yugi opened his eyes, seeing Hermos tip his head to the side. "You may want to remove your clothes." Yugi immediately blushed, the dragon still too lost in contemplation to notice. "I'm not sure how the magic will affect clothing, especially during a change like this."

Yugi followed Hermos' orders, hastily taking off his clothes before shutting his eyes and picturing a dragon in his mind's eye. At first, it was a carbon copy of Atem, but Yugi flinched and began editing the mental image. First, the black scales had a hit of purple at the edges instead of red. The wings shaded from black to red to yellow as they reached the ends and the basic body shape was more delicate than Atem's. Yugi was holding the picture in his mind when the first tendrils of magic brushed against him, the cold sensation making him open one eye and stare at the red flames that licked at him. A snort from Hermos made his eyes snap shut again, concentrating on the dragon that he held in his mind and praying that this would work.

He didn't feel the change, just an odd stretching sensation and a shift in his mind. Suddenly, some matters were no longer important, fading into the backdrop of his mind as another thought was imposed on him. Atem was still unclaimed, but how long would that last. Yugi reeled with the strength of the thought, opening his eyes as he stumbled over his legs. He titled his head to the side and looked down at his four legs, flexing his claws experimentally in the dirt before unfolding his wings and looking back at them, smiling as the sun brought out the colors in them. Yugi folded them neatly against his sides and looked over at Hermos, bowing his head in thanks. The red dragon returned the motion. "Rest for a while, just to let the magic settle, before you try anything. They will be up there all day."

Yugi settled himself on the ground, turning his head to look at the soaring dragons, surprised that he could still see them at this distance; they were indistinct, but still visible to him. He gave a happy coo before resting his head on the ground, purple eyes falling halfway closed and tail twitching occasionally as he sunbathed.

* * *

Atem smiled at the fourth female that he had flown with, watching as her green eyes sparkled as she was led off by a jealous male. They would be happy together. Atem regained the altitude he had lost, glancing quickly back to where he had seen Yugi sitting, worry beginning to tug at his mind as he realized that the human was no longer there. He shook his head to dismiss the worry. Yugi could have just been called to help his grandfather or gotten hungry. He was sure to be back. Atem swallowed and looked up at the sun, his crimson eyes flickering closed. His moment of relaxation was broken as something brushed past him. He opened his eyes, backing away from the thing that had moved in on his personal space. He caught a glimpse of brown eyes before he felt something wrap around him, the dragon very careful to keep out of the way of his flapping wings. Atem turned his head with a snarl, glaring at the dragon who had dared be this forward with him. "Vivian!"

The female dragon giggled, bobbing her head in greeting, which made the sunlight glisten off her yellow and back scales. Vivian had managed to wrap her snake-like body around Atem, her small forelegs resting comfortably against his side as her head was lying partially on his neck. Her own wings where folded as she let Atem carry the both of them, the extra weight making him struggle to keep up in the air.

Atem turned away from her, gritting his teeth as he focused on flying, finally breaking out of his hover as the strain on his wings became too much. With a snarl, he flipped over onto his back, the sudden movement throwing Vivian from him. The serpentine dragon gave a hiss of displeasure before making her way back to him, her body moving sinuously as she flew. The black and red dragon backed away, baring his teeth as a warning for her to keep away. To his relief, Vivian listened to this warning, staying a good distance from him but making a slow circle around him. "Why are you resisting me, Atem?"

"I told you I wasn't interested." Atem snapped the words out, looking for a way out. He stiffened as he heard a laugh from beside him, turning his head to see Rex rising towards him. The black and red dragon groaned, he thought that Rex had attracted a mate. Apparently he had sent her away as quickly as he had found her. Atem snarled at the newcomer before folding his wings to his sides and allowing himself to drop below the two dragons. Vivian immediately followed, Rex right behind her at a slower pace. Atem looked at her before snorting and turning his head away. "Did you hear what I said?"

"But that was for the common riffraff, not for me." She gave him a sultry smile, the expression making him shudder. "I'm much better than the other dragons, I promise. A fitting mate for the Morningstar."

"Don't waste you time, Vivian." Rex cooed at her, the female dragon looking at the other male with some interest. "He's been corrupted by the humans. He only has eyes for his Yugi."

"Yugi?"

"His lover." Rex gave Atem a wink, ignoring the growl that the dragon gave him. "You should have heard Atem calling for him last night, moaning his name until I came along." Rex paused, staring at Atem as if he were daring the black and red dragon to push him farther. Atem bared his teeth, the move earning a smirk from Rex. "Then he was begging me to fuck him."

Atem roared and slammed into Rex, holding the purple and brown dragon's wings down. Rex gave a squawk of surprise as the two plummeted to the ground, Atem slowing their fall quickly. He glared at the dragon, digging his claws into him as Rex wiggled. The black and red dragon attempted to keep a hold on his temper. If he got into a fight, then his injuries would also transfer Yugi. For the human, he could stand more blows to his pride. While Atem struggled to bring himself back under control, Rex whimpered and opened his eyes. Atem glanced down at the dragon as he gave a chuckle. "So, you really do like that Atem. Want some-"

The black and red dragon lost what little control he had gathered back. He raked his claws down Rex's stomach before letting the dragon drop. Rex screamed before he opened his wings. But Atem wasn't going to let him off. He dove and pushed Rex to the ground, pressing the purple and brown dragon into the dirt. Before Rex could react, Atem placed one hand on Rex's neck and the other between his shoulders, digging his claws in before leaning over the other dragon. He could hear the other dragons and humans running over to see if they could break up the fight before one of them was injured. Atem turned his head to snarl at the watchers; he didn't want to be pulled away, he wanted this dominance issue to be solved now. He had once been on the top and it chafed him to sit at the bottom. When he was sure that the others would not interfere, Atem leaned over to growl at Rex. "You will be silent."

"Why?" Rex's voice shook, making Atem smile. Finally the purple and brown dragon was scared of him, which was the first step to earning Rex's respect. Atem jerked out of his thoughts as Rex attempted to gain control of the situation. "Am I right?"

Atem gave a little bounce, hearing the bones creak dangerously under him. Rex screamed and writhing, stopping when Atem laughed. "You know what, I think I like this; you under me, screaming, and begging for mercy."

"But I wasn't-" Rex screamed as Atem bit his neck, the black and red dragon shaking his head to rip some of the scales away. Rex scrambled at the ground, nearly sobbing as Atem pulled back, tipping his head to one side before shifting so one of his hind feet had the spur pressed to Rex's side; compensating for the shift by moving the hand between Rex's shoulders to his wings. He smirked and dug his claws back into the dragon. "Now beg."

"Please Atem…" Rex cried out in pain as the claws dug into him, writhing as he tried to get himself away.

"Please what, Rex?" Atem was nearly cooing now, tail twitching as he fought against the laugh that was bubbling in his throat. "You know I love to hear you beg. Tell me what you want."

"Please stop. Just stop!"

"Good boy." Atem let off and backed away, smirking as Rex made no movement. He had reclaimed his status without a fight and Rex was sure to never bother him again. Better yet, Rex's little group of followers would leave him be. Atem turned to look at Vivian, the yellow and black dragon hesitating before taking a step forward. Atem snarled at her, causing the female to startle and take off with a look of shock on her face. She had probably never been rejected before, at least not by a male she had truly desired. Atem followed her flight path with his eyes, watching her fly towards the dragons closer to the human camp. She would probably be back out tomorrow, eventually bothering him again. Hopefully another dragon would attract her attention and she would leave him alone, as slim as that chance was. Atem growled to himself and shook out his wings, the muscles sore from the long bouts of hovering. He was considering taking a break to go hunt, preferring something other than the slow cattle, when he heard Timaeus snort in surprise. "We've got a late one."

Atem looked up, eyes widening at the graceful black dragon that flitted in and out of the group above. His wings fell to his sides, all thoughts of hunting banished as he watched the newcomer bank before diving back through the group. His eyes easily kept track of the black dragon, watching in awe as the sun brought out the purple highlights in its scales and the red and yellow on the edges of its wings. Without thinking about the motion, Atem launched himself into the air, chasing the black and purple dragon that teased him. He got a glimpse of a violet eye before the dragon spiraled upwards, Atem quickly following after.

They broke through the other dragons, the smaller black and purple dragon shooting a coy glance over its shoulder. Atem took up the challenge, speeding up so he could match the other through a series of loops and spins, making sure to come close to touching his partner but never coming in contact. As they pulled out of a tight corkscrew, Atem found himself staring at the purple eyes of the dragon, staying still as the smaller dragon moved closer. A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth as the dragon spoke, easily recognizing the voice. "Atem."

"Yugi." He tipped so the tip of his wing brushed against Yugi's back, the smaller dragon arching into the touch, a dreamy smile coming across his face. Atem gave him a nod before staring a new series of acrobatics, this time taking every opportunity to brush against Yugi, making the black and purple dragon shudder and slowly stoking the fire that was growing. He sighed as Yugi began to tentatively return the caresses, trembling as he forced himself to carry out the courtship properly instead of just taking Yugi now. Atem threw his head back, exposing his neck to Yugi as the smaller dragon trailed the tip of a wing over his stomach on a loop.

Slowly, the touches became frequent and bold, cracking Atem's self control until there came a point where Yugi was nearly resting on Atem's back. The black and red dragon gave a soft groan before flipping himself over and hovering so he could catch Yugi. He held Yugi close, feeling Yugi struggle to hover as he panted for breath. He clung more tightly to the smaller dragon, lowering his head to nuzzle the sensitive spot under Yugi's jaw. Yugi gasped and scrambled for a better hold on Atem, tipping his head back with a moan to give Atem more access.

"Why?" Yugi answered the question with a soft keen of pleasure. Atem chuckled at the response, but it wasn't the answer he wanted. As much as he wanted to take Yugi away and continue to render him senseless, he wanted the answer to this one question. He shifted his attentions and gave Yugi a nip on his neck, tensing as that caused Yugi to rub against him. Atem groaned and rested his head on Yugi's neck. "Please, love, concentrate."

"Only you." Yugi dropped his head to nuzzle Atem. "I only want you. It seemed best to show you like this."

"My Yugi." Atem gave a happy purr as he held the smaller dragon close for a moment before letting go and heading for the far side of the encampment, glad that the humans had migrated close to the forest this time. It would have made what he was about to do much more difficult if there hadn't been a secluded place for them. He glanced over his shoulder, pausing as Yugi hesitated for a moment. Without thinking about how human the gesture was, he held out a hand for Yugi, waiting until the smaller dragon brushed his claws against the offered appendage before continuing to lead Yugi away from all eyes.

The continued their flirting as they flew, unable to keep from touching each other. Atem was the one to flip Yugi over in midair as they reached a secluded spot within the edges of the forest. He helped the smaller dragon to the ground before folding his wings and resting lightly on top of Yugi. Yugi groaned and arched up against Atem, making the larger dragon moan. Yugi scrambled to get out from under Atem and onto all fours, Atem watching the struggles through hazy red eyes. He struggled to gather his thoughts so that he could think, enjoying the feel of Yugi under him. He shook his head and gave a soft purr, pressing back against Yugi as the smaller dragon stopped his struggles, panting for breath. A whimper escaped Yugi, the smaller dragon too far gone to notice the sound. Atem lowered his head to nuzzle Yugi's neck, moving slowly up his neck until he was whispering in Yugi's ear. "I want this to be perfect. I want to hear you screaming my name as you come." Yugi moaned, rubbing against Atem at the husky tone of voice. The larger dragon bit back a moan, forcing himself to focus. "I want you to feel nothing but pleasure."

"Please." Yugi whimpered out the word, writhing as the vibrations from Atem's purr ran through his body. Atem smiled before resting one hand against Yugi's rapidly beating heart, the solemn manner of the action partially dragging Yugi out of his daze.

"My heart," Atem brushed his claws over the area as he whispered the endearment, "do you trust me?"

"Always."

Atem nodded, closing his eyes as he drew magic out of the earth. He opened them when he felt Yugi's shape alter under him, shrinking until he was human again. The dragon smirked fondly, lowering his head to nuzzle Yugi's chest, listening to the human gasp. He pulled away, resting a claw on Yugi's lips to prevent the human from speaking before he turned the magic on himself, focusing on becoming human. There was a faint tingle over his skin before the magic faded, Atem hesitantly opening his eyes to watch as the last of the black tendrils were sucked back into the ground. He looked back up at Yugi, the human sitting up with wide eyes, before shrugging and holding his arms out. "Good enough for you?"

"Gods yes." Atem yelped as Yugi pushed him down to the ground, laying himself over Atem. He pressed his lips to Atem's, the former dragon letting the human have his way, submissively opening his mouth as Yugi brushed his tongue against his lips. As Yugi dominated the kiss, Atem let his fingers wander up the back of Yugi's legs and onto his back, loving the shiver that the other gave as Atem let his hands caress Yugi's sides. One hand reached up to tangle in Yugi's hair, encouraging a deeper kiss as Atem rolled them back over, silencing the small protest that Yugi gave. The human laughed into the kiss as Atem brushed over his side again, rolling his hips so their members brushed against each other. Yugi broke off the kiss to moan, eyes fluttering shut as he blindly grinded against Atem.

Atem leaned down to nuzzle the exposed skin that he could reach, kissing and nipping his way up Yugi's neck. The human wiggled, creating more of that delicious friction. Yugi reached up and cupped Atem's face in his hands, pulling him from his work on Yugi's neck, amethyst meeting crimson. "I need you, now."

Atem pushed Yugi back instead of responding, nudging the prince's legs apart as he offered two fingers for Yugi to suck on. He groaned as Yugi eagerly took the fingers into his mouth, his other hand clenching against the ground before he reached out to trace over Yugi's body. His fingers briefly toyed with Yugi's nipples before tracing around the scar on his chest before continuing down the prince's body. Yugi moaned as Atem brushed over his penis, arching up into the touch. Atem took the chance to remove his fingers, giving Yugi a quick kiss on his chest in apology. The prince slowly propped himself up on his elbows, glancing down his body at Atem. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

The former dragon chuckled, a finger tracing around the tip of Yugi's member before closing his hand around Yugi and giving a harsh pump; smirking at the strangled cry that the motion brought. He reached down with his wetted fingers and circled Yugi's entrance, smirk growing wider as Yugi continued to squirm. "Just because I've never done this with a human doesn't mean that I'm totally ignorant. I still have a good few hundreds years on you."

He slid a finger into Yugi, looking up at the prince's face as Yugi's inner muscles clamped down around the finger, trying to force it out. Atem shifted up to kiss Yugi's chest, looking up as his finger brushed over the bundle of nerves, making Yugi buck up, crying out in pleasure. Atem repeated the motion to hear the sound again as he nuzzled Yugi's chest. "That's the spot."

He pushed a second finger in, brushing both over Yugi's prostate before scissoring the digits, calming the whimpers that emerged from Yugi's mouth as he finally leaned up to kiss the prince's lips. Feeling that his mate was adequately prepared, Atem removed his fingers and positioned himself at Yugi's entrance. He raised his hand to cup Yugi's check, rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin. "This might hurt, love."

Yugi shook his head, wrapping one arm around Atem's neck. "I don't care. Please."

Atem gave a nod and pushed into Yugi, biting back a moan as Yugi gave a cry of pain, the hand that resting on his back clenching and digging Yugi's nails into his skin. Atem winced, stopping to give Yugi time to recover. He began to move forward again when Yugi relaxed, fully sheathing himself in the prince as he began to tremble. Yugi rested his forehead against Atem, hand still twitching where it rested on the former dragon's back and panting for breath. Atem brushed one hand over Yugi's side, waiting for the prince to adjust as he forced himself not to move, his own eyes sliding shut at the feeling of being surrounded by Yugi. The prince glanced up at Atem through his blonde bangs, giving him a weak smile as permission to move. Atem returned the expression before pulling out of the prince. Yugi gasped and clawed at Atem, trying to draw him back in. Atem hesitated a moment before sliding back in with a grunt, Yugi giving a scream of pleasure as Atem brushed across his prostate.

After a few awkward thrusts the two settled into a rhythm, Atem speeding up as Yugi clawed at him. He returned to kissing Yugi's neck, listening to the unintelligible sounds that his mate made. Yugi moaned, letting his head drop to the juncture between Atem's neck and shoulder, panting. Atem growled as Yugi tightened his inner muscles as Atem brushed his prostate. He wasn't going to last much longer, already worked up by the proper dragon courtship and the part of his mind that was still telling him that the mating should have ended by now. The difference in their body temperatures as well as the muscles that closed around his penis as he moved were just pushing him closer to that edge.

He reached down to stroke Yugi's member, listening to the scream that the prince gave. Yugi clung to Atem, raising his head to stare right into the crimson eyes. "Can't..." Yugi interrupted himself with a scream as Atem hit his prostate on his next thrust. "Gods, Atem!"

Atem nodded and purred, nuzzling Yugi as the prince bucked, beginning to shudder. Yugi lasted a few more thrusts before the came, screaming Atem's name as his release splattered over Atem's hand and their stomachs. Atem grunted as Yugi's muscles clamped down around him, shuddering as he quickly followed Yugi into climax. He screamed out his mate's name before collapsing, catching himself just over Yugi. The prince blinked up at him before sleepily pulling him close, squeezing as Atem went to pull out of him. "No. Stay. Warm."

The prince cooed as Atem pressed a kiss to his neck, remaining on top of Yugi as they both came down from their high. He attempted to pull out of him again, only to be stopped by Yugi, the prince still holding him close. "Cuddle."

Smiling at the order from his barely coherent mate, Atem complied, resting his body on top of Yugi's and closing his eyes. Yugi's hands still roamed over his back as Atem reached up to brush the sweaty bangs away from Yugi's eyes. "I love you."

Yugi smiled, hands stopping their wandering to pull Atem closer to him, nuzzling the former dragon's shoulder. "Love you too."

* * *

Rex snarled as he stalked through the dragons that were lying on the ground, trying to ignore their mocking stares and failing. He quickened his pace, reaching the small group of five dragons that were still loyal to him, although they were smiling too. He snapped at the face of one, watching as the small white dragon went tumbling back, whimpering as the others laughed at his misfortune. Rex's tail twitched, happy that the attention had been directed away from him. It was bad enough that he had come out of the first mating flights without a mate, losing the females to other males, but it was worse that Atem had managed to best him without expending much effort. His neck still hurt from where the black and red dragon had bitten him.

He curled up on the ground, watching the group that surrounded him with a sense of skewed happiness. At least there were these few who still looked up to him. He was still on top somewhere. Rex gave a sleepy smile before closing his eyes, beginning to plot to himself.

Vivian would no longer accept him, especially after what Atem had done to him. No female would allow him to follow them after what Atem had done, not unless they were desperate. And Rex had been looking over all the females that he would try to go after all during those months in the desert. But he would never get any of them now. He snarled and dug his claws into the ground, opening his eyes and raising his head to glare at the north, cursing the black and red dragon who had done this to him. There had to be some way to get his own back. Some way to take away everything that Atem held dear.

Rex hissed to himself, ignoring the confused looks he got from the dragons around him. Atem had said nothing about his time in the north since they had last seen him. All Rex knew it that something had caused him to lose most of his weight and bring a lot of pain that left the black and red dragon unable to move for nearly two months. And it had all come from the north.

The purple and brown dragon flipped himself more onto his side, staring at the stars before narrowing his black eyes. If he really wanted to, he could go find the humans that had driven Atem to this point, but he knew that the world had changed since they had been chicks. Humans were no longer inclined to help the dragons, but saw them as dangerous creatures; no longer capable of intelligence. He drummed his claws against the ground before standing up, decision made.

He no longer cared about how humans thought about him. If Atem did as he was destined to do, humans would no longer matter. So, this wasn't dangerous at all.

Rex rolled his shoulders before opening his wings, gently flapping them as he considered the distance. He knew vaguely where Atem had spent most of his life, some narrow little valley towards the north; a few days easy flight. And Rex intended to take his time. There was no reason to rush to help the humans or rush Atem towards his destiny. It would be his present to the newly mated dragon, a few months of bliss before destruction. He chuckled as he looked over at the five dragons, watching as some of them crouched low to the ground. "Follow me. We're settling things."

A few nodded immediately, walking over to stand by him. Only the small while dragon remained pressed to the ground. Rex glared at him until the small dragon ambled over, reluctantly spreading his wings under the glare. Satisfied, the purple and brown dragon turned his head towards the north with a grin before leaping into the air and taking flight.

* * *

He moaned as another cool cloth was pressed to his skin, a cold hand running over his forehead as another painted something onto his arms. He tried to pull away, the difference in sensations too much for him right now. The movement was stopped by another person, their soft mutter the last thing he heard before he slipped into sleep. "It's alright. We pulled you from the fire before it got too bad."

* * *

_ Yay, the moment you had all been waiting for. And I just couldn't kill Duke. _

_Read and review please. Criticism is always welcome._


	11. Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own bits of the plot.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own bits of the plot.

**Warning:** Blood.

****

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Changes**

**   
_Thus we entered a land where dragons here be,  
And the blind was given a chance to see_   
**

Yugi smiled to himself as he brushed his hand down Atem's back, watching as the former dragon gave a purr and cuddled closer. He sighed at the warmth of the other at his side, burying his face into the crook of Atem's neck and wrapping a leg around Atem's to hold him in place. It felt good to be like this, pressed close to the one he loved above all else. He gently nuzzled Atem's neck, earning another purr from the former dragon as Atem wrapped and arm around Yugi's shoulders.

The prince supposed he should have been a little freaked out that Atem looked like him, but he didn't really see the similarity between the two of them. Atem was tan compared to Yugi's pale skin and well muscled while Yugi was still skinny. Atem looked more like an adult than Yugi did, although the prince had lost some of the roundness in his face that he had possessed up until he was twenty. The hairstyle, while the same colors, had three streaks of blonde invading the black in Atem's hair, unlike Yugi whose bangs framed his face. The best part was that Atem had retained his stunning crimson eyes that drew Yugi in. And Yugi found that he didn't care what Atem looked like, because it had been the soul he had fallen in love with and not the outer covering.

Atem muttered something in his sleep, the soft sound making Yugi chuckle, repressing a yawn himself. He should be tired after everything they had been doing. He should have been passed out beside Atem a few minutes ago, but he remained awake. It gave him time to study his lover and appreciate the human form that Atem had taken to please him, just as Yugi had attempted a dragon courtship to prove that he cared about the dragon. The smile caused by the memory disappeared as a cold breeze drifted through their secluded place, Yugi pressing close to Atem as he shivered.

He looked up as Atem shifted, sitting up and holding Yugi close. The prince was about to question him when he felt the first brief touches of magic as Atem turned the magic onto himself. Yugi gave a soft moan, loving the feel of the magic against him. The black tendrils carried the same warmth as Atem instead of being cold like Yugi thought they would have been, nor did they burn, just the soft touch of warmth and the soft scent of spices. Yugi looked up as the body that held him shifted, the shadows expanding to cover Atem as he returned to his natural form.

Before the magic had even dissipated, Atem was holding out a wing and shoving Yugi back towards his side and under the wing. The prince sighed at the warmth of the dragon, giving Atem a sleepy smile as the dragon ducked his head under his wing. The dragon laughed, reaching up to nuzzle Yugi. "Sleepy, love?"

"No."

"You should be." Atem smiled, gently pushing Yugi with his muzzle. "I worked hard to make you so."

"I feel too good to sleep."

"You say that now, just wait until you try and stand up." Yugi reached out and cuddled Atem close, enjoying the feel of the leathery scales under his hands. Atem allowed himself to be cuddled before pulling slightly back. "We should get you back before you freeze. I need to hunt anyway."

Yugi's stomach gave a grumble of agreement, making the both of them laugh. Atem lifted his wing, folding it back to his side before shifting his leg. Yugi wrapped his arms around himself realizing that he didn't have any clothes, having left them behind when he changed forms the day before. He blushed at the thought of walking into the tent village without any clothes and no explanation of how that had happened. He poked Atem as the dragon laughed, figuring out Yugi's predicament at the same time. The dragon merely shook his head and pulled it away, still laughing as Yugi pouted. "Don't worry. I'll try to protect your dignity."

The prince rolled his eyes, wincing at the pain in his lower back as he stood up. Atem gave a worried croon, shifting himself as Yugi went to step onto Atem's foreleg, yelping as the dragon helped him up to his back. Yugi quickly leaned against Atem's neck, closing his eyes tightly as the dragon stood up, suddenly aware of how large Atem really was. He clung to the dragon as he felt wind brush by as Atem flapped his wings. He was sure that he gave a short scream as Atem leapt into the air and began to fly towards the camp. Yugi kept his eyes closed tightly, pressing his face into Atem's scales until he heard the deep rumble of the dragon's voice. "It's okay, Yugi. I won't let you fall."

Carefully, Yugi sat up and opened his eyes, squeaking before closing them again. He listened to the laughter from the dragon, considering just keeping his eyes shut for the remainder of the flight before he finally opened them again. He blinked, shivering as cold air moved around his naked body. But he soon forgot about that as he stared at the land that rolled out beneath them, looking a bit like a quilt as plants criss-crossed over the ground in no set pattern. He leaned forward to watch Atem's shadow drift over the land. He sat up with a smile, reaching forward to pat Atem's neck. The dragon seemed to understand and kept flying, Yugi letting his hand rest on Atem to feel the muscles work underneath the scales.

The flight, despite his initial fear of flying, seemed too short. All too soon, Atem was circling around, turning his head to find a place to land on the outer edge of the clump of tents. Yugi held onto the dragon tightly as he settled to the ground, folding his wings before gently lying down and gently tipping one side of his body closer to the ground. Yugi gave Atem a pat on the neck before sliding off. He hesitated for a moment before pulling Atem's head down to give him a kiss on the muzzle before dashing towards his grandfather's tent, thanking the gods that his grandfather's profession had him setting up his tent on the edge so that the herders could reach him easily in emergencies.

He flung open the flap of the tent, rushing for his small pile of possessions and quickly grabbing underclothes and pulling them on before scrambling for loose trousers. He was just pulling them up and wrapping a belt around his waist when his grandfather ducked into the tent, Yugi freezing with the belt still held in both hands, about to buckle it. He blushed at the look that his grandfather gave to him, one eyebrow raised as his state before Solomon moved further into the tent, searching among his dried herbs. "Have a good time last night?"

"Grandpa!" Yugi's blush deepened as he hurriedly bucked his belt and pulled a shirt over his head. He refused to look over at Solomon, not wanting his grandfather to see how embarrassed the simple question had made him. After all, he was twenty-one; these things shouldn't make him blush anymore. He peeked over his shoulder to see his grandfather in deep thought over by the dried leaves.

"What was the occasion? Or were you just celebrating Atem's good luck in his mating flight?" Yugi coughed at the innocent question, now openly staring at his grandfather, who was still oblivious to Yugi's gaze. "I'd thought that he was going to avoid choosing a mate this season, but I guess that love is unavoidable. But I've never seen that dragon around here before. So who was the lucky girl?"

"Um…there was no girl." Yugi ducked his head and made to run for the tent flap, stopping at the surprised sound that his grandfather made.

Solomon had turned away from his collection, staring at his grandson as he tried to figure out what had happened the night before. He slowly let his hands fall to his sides and Yugi shifted nervously, already wanting to flee and find Atem. He began inching towards the exit, stopping again as Solomon glared at him. "Where exactly were you last night and, come to think of it, most of the day?"

"I was with…someone." Yugi bit his lip as his grandfather continued to stare at him, knowing that he would lose this battle. He couldn't lie to save his life, something that he had never been able to get out of. He finally looked down, dragging his bare feet over the ground, making a mental note to go back and retrieve his boots, before speaking. "With Atem."

"But he found a mate!"

"I know." Yugi glanced up once before looking back down, wincing at Solomon's gasp. He flinched as he heard his grandfather walking over and jumped as Solomon grabbed onto his shoulders. He looked up at his grandfather, hoping to see something other than the hatred that he expected. Instead, he saw shock and fear. Solomon gave Yugi a gentle shake, enough to get him swaying. The prince winced at the motion, suddenly aware of how sore he was, looking away as his grandfather's eyes widened.

"Yugi…what happened yesterday?"

"There was…I…" He was stumbling around for the right words as he realized how awkward the situation was becoming. Yugi rocked back onto his heels, the motion pulling his shoulders out of Solomon's grip, his grandfather letting his hands fall back to his side to give Yugi the space that he needed. He looked down at the ground, refusing to meet his grandfather's gaze. "I don't know how to tell you..."

Yugi glanced up through his bangs as Solomon took a step back, the elderly man sighing and looking back to the dried herbs. His grandfather rubbed a hand over his face before looking back at him, Yugi immediately lowering his eyes and listening as his grandfather spoke. "I trust your judgment, Yugi. But just tell me that it is what you want."

"It is." Yugi backed out of the tent with those words, not sure if his grandfather had guessed what he had done, or was just leaving Yugi to deal with the choice that he made. The prince let the flap of the tent fall back with a long sigh, his fingers still resting on the hide, curling to keep their hold on the tent. Why did the real world have to invade into his happiness? He was happy loving the dragon and being loved in return. Why did everyone have to question this?

He turned and walked out of the camp, heading toward the open space. Atem was sure to see him walking and come and talk to him. Yugi just needed to be near the dragon now, knowing that the dragon was one of the few creatures that understood what he was going through. He barely realized that he had begun to jog, searching the area for the dragon until he fell to the ground, clutching the back of his leg in pain. Yugi turned to look at the limb, lifting his hand from it and expecting to find blood. But there was nothing, not even his pants were torn. Yugi stared at his hand for a long while before he realized what this meant.

The prince pushed off of the ground and ran, limping as his body was convinced that it had just suffered a wound. Yugi turned his head, slowing as he saw a large group of dragons, Timaeus standing at the head. He hesitated, nearly jogging in place as he tried to figure out where Atem was. Could the dragon have been injured hunting? If that was true, then Yugi would need to have a dragon find him, because he couldn't cover ground fast enough. He turned to ask his favor of the dragons when he saw the group suddenly scatter, forming a circle around a snarling Atem.

Yugi's eyes widened in surprise at the confrontation, standing completely still as Timaeus and Atem glared at each other, the green dragon tipping his head to the side before reaching down and using his height to his advantage as he bit down on Atem's neck. Yugi screamed in pain, falling to his hands and knees as pain lanced through his neck. He stared at the ground as he waited for the pain to subside, vaguely listening to Atem's bellow of pain. Yugi groaned and looked up, watching as Atem clawed at Timaeus, managing to get the larger dragon off of him. Fearing a second attack, Yugi forced himself to his feet and ran towards the dragons.

"Atem!" The dragons turned their heads to look at him, most glaring in hatred. Yugi winced as a few opened their mouths, flames licking at the back of their pointed teeth as they looked at him. The prince covered his head with his arms, hoping that the threat wouldn't be carried out. He heard a snarl, looking up to see Atem crouching on the ground, his own fire flickering in his mouth. Yugi dove for the cover that Atem offered, clinging to the dragon's leg as Atem pulled himself to his full height. The black and red dragon gave a hiss of displeasure before looking back at Timaeus.

The green dragon glanced down at Yugi with hatred before focusing on Atem. "What have you done?"

Atem lowered himself closer to the ground, Yugi finding himself pressed close to the dragon's leg with the move. The black and red dragon stared at Timaeus for a while before finally responding, his words nearly masked by the growl that rumbled from him. "Nothing that you approve of, apparently. Tell me, Timaeus, why do you suddenly care about me? Is it because you nearly lost your precious Morningstar?"

"No." The green dragon turned his head and coughed, shaking his head in disgust. "I can still smell that human all over you Atem."

"So what?"

"This isn't what you are supposed to be doing."

"What should I be doing then? Should I forget Yugi, choose a pretty female who doesn't really care about me and make sure that we have chicks on the way before throwing myself carelessly into danger so I can fulfill this stupid title of mine? Is that what you want, Timaeus?" Atem waited until the larger green dragon was ready to speak before he continued, Yugi noticing how annoyed the larger dragon was getting. "But what should I die for, the destruction of all humans or for things to go back to the way they are? Or are you as confused as all the other dragons?"

"Atem…"

"Tell me, Timaeus, because I really want to know. How would you prefer to kill me?"

"Enough!" Yugi dodged out of the way in time as Timaeus lunged at Atem. He still fell to the ground as he felt something collide with him, leaving him gasping for air. He groaned and rolled over to his side, wincing as flashes of pain appeared on his body as the two dragons writhed on the ground, Atem clawing his way out from under Timaeus and digging his claws into the thin membrane of the green dragon's wings. Timaeus roared and whipped his head around to close his jaws around the closest foreleg. Atem threw his head back as Yugi screamed in pain, clutching his own arm as the imprints of teeth appeared briefly there.

"Yugi!" He looked up to see Atem shove himself away from Timaeus, curling around him and pushing him close to his body. Yugi reached up to stroke Atem, still holding his other arm close to his body as he waited for the pain to disappear. He looked at the affected foreleg, gasping as he saw blood welling up from marks.

"You're bleeding."

Atem glanced down at his leg, dismissing the injury with a snort. "It's nothing." He lowered his head to press it against Yugi. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have provoked him. You wouldn't be hurt."

"Don't worry about it." Yugi gave his arm a last rub before standing up, using the dragon's side to steady himself before he crossed his arms and glared at the assembled dragons, hearing Atem get up behind him. The black and red dragon stepped over him, raising his head to glare up at Timaeus. The tableau held until the green dragon gave a curse and looked away, claws digging into the ground.

"Gods damn it all, Atem. Why are you rebelling like this? You'll end up breaking this human's heart in the end."

Atem gave a warning growl. "You think I would use any creature to do such a thing? I didn't give him half of my heart so I could use him. It was an honest gift so that he could live! If I wanted to fight against my fate, I would fight alone!"

"There is no changing this, Atem. You are the Morningstar."

"But the title can be passed on. After all, it's just a title." Atem finally looked away from Timaeus, jerking his head in the direction of a small dark green chick that had wandering over, the baby dragon looking in awe at the larger adults. "You could give it to him and, the worst part is, he would like it and thank you for it. Just wait until you have to tell him that he will have to die!"

Yugi darted out of his hiding spot as the chick trembled in fear, tears leaking out of his eyes. He knelt down beside the small dragon, surprised when he just jumped into Yugi's arms. Awkwardly, Yugi stroked the young dragon's back as Atem and Timaeus continued on, ignoring the other dragons who were watching the baby dragon.

"We wouldn't, not until he was ready for it." Timaeus narrowed his eyes. "You were too young when your father told you."

"My father is suffering because he wanted to save me." Atem snarled, flames licking at the back of his teeth again. "He told me what this title really meant so I would understand what he had done for me. It was the right time, or else I would have blithely lived my life, thinking I was meant for great things, allowing myself to be led calmly to the slaughter like a sheep."

The other dragons were shifting nervously as Atem dealt them all a scathing glare, most of them quickly moving away on suddenly remembered other things that they would rather be doing. Timaeus ceased his glaring contest with Atem to watch them go, dropping his head when there were only a few left. The green dragon tipped his head to the side, for the first time revealing the scar that crossed over his right eye, rendering the eye useless. "What do you expect us to do, Atem? We were told that you are our only hope for surviving."

"I'm not. Those were the dying words of a desperate dragon." Atem finally relaxed, his voice dropping back to a civil tone. "We have to change with the world, Timaeus, not throw ignorant dragons to their deaths because it is the only thing that we can think of. That makes us as bad as the humans."

The black and red dragon turned away, calling the discussion to an end as he walked over to Yugi, stretching himself out on the ground and tilting his body so more of it was in the direct sunlight. The prince gave him a smile, rubbing the small dragon that he was holding fondly on the head before walking over to Atem, happily snuggling up to his dragon. Atem gave a purr of contentment, his eyes slowly closing. Yugi found his own eyes beginning to close, the events of the past few days finally catching up with him. A soft nudge to his hand made him open his eyes again.

The forest green dragon chick was standing in front of them, cowering slightly as Atem lifted his head to look at him as well. The small dragon shifted before staring at the ground. "Are you really going to die? Because I don't want you to." Tears started to drop out of the chick's eyes again. "I saw you in the desert, and I thought that you were going to die then. Did we make you like that?"

"No, little one." Atem rolled back fully on his stomach, the move hiding the scar that was still there. Yugi shifted too, finding himself pressed against Atem's chest over his heart. The baby dragon trotted up to him, trying to wiggle himself in the small space between Yugi and Atem, accepting the nuzzle that Atem gave to his back. "That was not your fault or anyone's fault."

The chick gave a sideways look at Yugi, seeming to debate something before he spoke again. "But the three elders said that the humans had hurt you."

"But I am fine now." Atem nudged the chick away from him, gently bumping him in the direction of the few other young dragons that were out in the sunlight. "Go play with your friends."

The baby dragon nodded and bounded off, leaving Yugi to sit back against Atem, absently petting the dragon's foreleg. "Atem?"

"Not you too." The black and red dragon lowered his head, making Yugi look him directly in his eye. "I'm not going anywhere, not for a long time."

"I know." Yugi wrapped his arms around Atem's muzzle, encouraging the dragon to lower his head the rest of the way. Atem sighed and allowed the human to arrange him however he liked. Yugi gave a slow smile before he returned to petting the dragon. Under the influence of the sun above him and the warmth of Atem behind him, Yugi drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Bakura jerked awake as Thoth began to squirm under him again. The thief groaned and rubbed a hand over his face, scowling when he realized that it was broad daylight. He turned and poked the dragon, earning an annoyed snort from the creature. "I thought you said that we would get to this place late last night."

"Contrary winds and contrary dragons." The reply was curt and almost delivered as a snap. Bakura crossed his arms in exasperation. Of course Ryou would have no problems talking to the dragon and actually get the creature to like him. He could only annoy the dragon more. The thief rolled his eyes and glared at the ground, watching as it slowly got closer. A rumble from the dragon made him look up, getting a glimpse of his lover as the poet sat up straight. "We'll be landing away from the main campsite. I don't want Timaeus to overreact to the sight of humans."

That was the only warning they got before the dragon dove abruptly, spreading its wings to tip itself back onto its hind legs at the last minute. Bakura found himself sighing as the dragon lowered itself closer to the ground, carefully setting Thoth down to one side before falling to all fours. The thief scrambled off his frightened mule, stroking the animal as he tried to calm Thoth down. He looked over his shoulder as Ryou slid from its back, the poet stepping back to allow the blonde to help the girl down. The thief raised one eyebrow as he realized that the girl was blind. He shook off his amazement and walked Thoth over to stand next to his lover, lightly slapping the poet on the shoulder.

Ryou recoiled, rubbing his shoulder and pouting. "What was that for?"

"Whatever you did to make this the only course of action!" Bakura rolled his eyes and began walking after the dragon, turning his head slightly as Ryou ran to catch up. The thief noticed that the poet was clutching a pack, probably filled with what Bakura had left behind on his aborted scouting mission. Out of habit, he shifted closer to the mule so that the animal wouldn't try to bite the poet. Ryou gave him a smile and fell into step beside Bakura, being bold enough to brush his shoulder against the thief.

And, as simple as that, everything was forgiven. Bakura would continue to grumble about the situation and Ryou, being Ryou, would smile and nod, and the subject would be dropped. He had never had a relationship like this, part of him wondering where the mad screaming matches had gone because he found himself losing the quiet arguments that usually occurred.

"You said you could help her." The thief looked up at the young man, hurrying Thoth along so he could hear the conversation. By his side Ryou was bounding excitedly. He was close to punching the overenthusiastic poet when Ryou grabbed his arm.

"Magic, Bakura! Can you believe it? We've found some of the few creatures who can still use magic. This is amazing!" Bakura let himself be shaken by the poet, shooting a glare at the dragon as it gave an amused chuckle. Bakura was about the question the dragon on what it planned to do when he saw the gathering of dragons. He managed to conceal his own shock as Ryou's mouth dropped open, and the thief couldn't blame him. Before now, they had only seen individual dragons. It was even more stunning to see such a large gathering of the creatures. With the sunlight glittering off the scales, it almost looked like many jewels.

The thief shook his head, blaming his extended time with Ryou for the content of his thoughts. He turned his head, staring at the tents that were pitched close to the field of dragons. Bakura had never seen humans living voluntarily so close to dragons. He reached out to pet Thoth's muzzle as the mule began to shift nervously. The thief was about the back away from the group and take to the mule to a place where the animal could calm down, and he could watch everything from a good distance, when the dragon broke into a jog. "Hermos!"

A red dragon whose back resembled a porcupine looked up, walking over when it seemed to recognize the one who had hailed it. As the dragon ambled over, Bakura realized how large the dragon really was. He pushed Ryou and Thoth behind him as the dragon came to a stop, tipping its head to one side to look at the humans before staring at the lavender eyed dragon. There was a squeak as the dragon pushed the blonde and red head forward to confront Hermos, the young man nearly wrapped around the girl as they found themselves trapped between the two dragons. The smaller dragon looked up at Hermos. "I promised that we would try and help the girl. Humans burned her eyes out."

Hermos snorted dismissively. "Humans. It's a wonder that they haven't killed themselves off yet." The dragon crouched on the ground, looking closely at the girl before gently lifting up the fabric from her eyes, the positions of their bodies blocking the sight from Bakura. The dragon hissed at whatever he saw before letting the fabric settle back over her eyes. "We're going to need Solomon and Atem as well. It will take more than two of us, not with Atem still recovering."

"Recovering?" The pale gold dragon was cut off with a glare from Hermos, sulking as he slunk off toward the human camp. Hermos looked at the human before standing on his hind legs and craning his head before bellowing out a name. "Atem!"

Bakura held onto Thoth's reins as the mule panicked, quickly calming the animal down to just a shiver. The thief soothed the nervous animal, looking up as a shape coasted over them before landing a few steps away. Bakura's eyes widened as he recognized Yugi's dragon, the black and red beast strolling towards them. "You better have a good reason for calling me over, Hermos."

"There is." Both of them turned their heads, the motion the only warning that the humans had of the approach of the pale gold dragon, loping over with Solomon seated uncomfortably on his back. The elderly man slid off the dragon's back and walked quickly over to the girl, peering at her before giving a nod and wiping his hands on his pants. The old man turned to smile at the blonde, patting his shoulder. "Don't worry. If we can't restore her sight completely, she'll be able to see shadows and shapes until we are ready to try again."

The blonde gave a stiff nod and took a step back, hands clenching into fists. Ryou pushed forward, eyes widening as Solomon placed both his hands on the girl's shoulders and closed his eyes. Bakura felt a sharp snap in the air and took a step back before tendrils of color leapt from the ground, wrapping around the girl and Solomon. Bakura tensed at the obvious use of magic, not finding it as wondrous as Ryou, who was watching with a huge smile. Magic and its users were something that should stay in the shadows and stories, where they both belonged. It was foreign and different, very dangerous in the wrong hands. The thief could too easily imagine those tendrils wrapping around his neck at the end of a bungled job. He shook the thoughts away, forcing the hand that had risen to rub his throat to fall back to his side. He didn't want to feel fear, not with dragons around en masse. Reluctantly, he allowed Ryou to pull him closer to the event, brown eyes sparkling in excitement. Bakura sighed and wrapped an arm around Ryou's shoulders.

As suddenly as it begun, the magic disappeared, a few black tendrils still stroking over the girl's face before Solomon opened his eyes and slapped them away, glaring at the panting black and red dragon. Yugi's dragon looked away, Solomon reaching up to pull the cloth away from the girl's face. He waved his hand in front of the girl's face, her brown eyes blinking open. The girl's face contorted into a look of confusion as she squinted, turning around and rubbing her eyes. When she let her hands fall back to her side, she was facing the blonde man, her lips twisting up in a smile. "Joey!"

The two rushed at each other, the girl getting pulled into a hug by the blonde. Ryou started scrambling for a pen and paper, halting his frantic movement when Bakura gave his shoulders a squeeze. The thief shook his head, keeping a tight hold of Thoth's reins as he began to steer them away from the happy reunion, intent on following Solomon as the old man made his way back to the camp. When Ryou started to protest, Bakura tapped him with the end of the reins that he held. "Save your scribbling for later. I'm hungry, thirsty and tired. And I demand that my pillow be with me the entire time."

"But-"

"Sleep now, scribble later." He quickly cut the poet off before Ryou could protest anymore. The poet sighed dramatically and leaned against Bakura, allowing the thief to pull him towards the camp.

* * *

Atem finally looked up when Solomon was gone, smiling as he saw the blonde and the girl still hugging. That was good, she deserved to see after having her eyes burned out. His smile disappeared as he met Hermos' gaze. Atem shrunk back against the ground before he could stop himself, not used to seeing the usually jovial Hermos angry. He scrambled back as the red dragon pulled himself up to his full height, looming over Atem. "What did you think you were doing?"

"Helping her. I could tell you who burned her eyes out and assure you that it was for a stupid reason. I wasn't going to make her go through another session if I could help it."

"And I suppose exhausting yourself would have helped as well?" Atem grunted and looked away, not willing to comment. Hermos sighed, lowering himself down so he could speak to Atem on the smaller dragon's level. The black and red dragon stiffened as Hermos purposefully made him meet his gaze. "You know as well as I do that if you are still drawing magic that it would kill you if you passed out. And then where would that leave you?"

"I had it under control."

"Yes." Hermos took a step away from Atem, chuckling as he did so. "I'm sure you did. Humor an old dragon and take things slowly. You're not in the best shape still, Atem. And now you have your mate to think about."

The simple statement of fact silenced all protests that Atem had. He hung his head, sides expanding as he sighed. Of course he would do nothing that would hurt Yugi, it was incomprehensible to him. But it was merely a reminder of all the responsibility that he had now. He was no longer on his own, he had his mate to look after, even if they were two different species. Atem smiled, looking towards where he had left the human sleeping. It was best that he return before Yugi woke up, the prince was still prone to worrying about him. Atem gave himself a shake and began to walk back, not feeling the need to waste energy on the short flight back. He stumbled a bit as another dragon bumped into him, the lavender eye that peered into his own familiar. Atem raised his head, ready to smile at his friend, only to be stopped by the hurt look in the dragon's eye. "You abandoned me."

Atem rolled his eyes. "I have not, Marik."

"You did." Marik tried to look pitiful, failing miserably as a smile kept sneaking across his muzzle. "We promised that we would never find mates and just become old and grouchy bachelors together. What happened to that promise, Atem?" The pale gold dragon got a thoughtful look on his face, bumping into Atem again. "Or did Kisara finally become attractive enough for you? Gods knows she's turned me down enough."

"Kisara?" He winced at the mention of his other childhood friend. Of course she would still be alright, she had her human mate to take care of her. But that didn't mean that Atem would just forget about her. He shook his head, the motion partially in answer to Marik's question. "No. She found someone else. She's back up north right now."

"She'd better be careful. It's dangerous up there."

"Her mate will take care of her."

"Lucky her." Marik snorted, rolling his eyes. "So, what female finally made you give up this life of freedom. Please don't tell me that she only loves you for your title. If you've fallen that low, I may have to hurt you."

Atem laughed and shook his head, watching as Marik relaxed. "No, they're not in love with my title. In fact, I'd say that they hate it as much as I do."

"So, who is she?"

"I'm not going to tell you." Atem could see the area where he had left Yugi, a smile crossing his muzzle at the thought of his mate. He was looking forward to a lazy day of nothing, recovering like all the other dragons were demanding that he do, even though he felt fine.

"Come on."

"No."

"Atem." Marik whined out his name before pouncing on him, shoving him to the ground and shifting so he could hold the black and red dragon there. Atem blinked up at his friend, chuckling as Marik glared, trying to appear threatening. He shook his head, wriggling to try and get out of the hold. Marik gave a half hearted snarl and shifted to a more secure hold, one hand resting over Atem's heart as the other pinned a foreleg to the ground, Marik leaning over the hand on Atem's chest. "Tell…"

Marik stopped midsentence to stare at the hand over Atem's heart, eyes narrowing as he felt something. Atem went still at the serious look on his friend's face, wondering what was causing this stop in Marik's teasing. He craned his head up, shifting one hind leg to press against Marik's stomach in a plea to get off of him. The pale gold dragon shook his head, apparently still trying to puzzle out what was wrong. "This is…" His other hand closed even more tightly around Atem's foreleg, claws digging in. Atem winced, head whipping around at the yelp from somewhere around them.

"Yugi!" Atem wiggled some more, now trying to shove Marik off him. "Marik, get off!"

The pale gold dragon blinked and stepped away, realizing what he had been doing. He blinked slowly as Atem got up, seeming extremely nervous. He stared at his claws before looking up as his friend, Atem tipping his head at the fear that was in Marik's eyes. The black and red dragon took a step forward, intending to talk to his friend when Marik spoke first. "Have you told your mate about your heart?"

"What?" Atem blinked slowly, suddenly lost. He began to walk towards where Yugi was, Marik still trailing after him.

"Your heart…it's not right." Marik shook his head. "I mean, it's beating at the normal pace…but it's like it isn't all there."

"Marik, I'm fine."

"Then why did Hermos say-" Marik was cut off as Yugi sat up from the grass, one hand covering his mouth as he yawned. Atem smiled at the human before lying down on the ground and curling around him, purring as Yugi absently petting his scales. Atem looked up at a surprised snort, tilting his head as Marik came to an astounded stop in front of them. The pale gold dragon seemed to stumble for words at the sight, Atem's eyes slowly shutting as he lowered his head to the ground, tipping it so Yugi could reach the one spot above his eye. It took a lot of effort to open his eyes again, the combination of being with Yugi and the sunlight relaxing him. "What's…I thought…Atem I thought you were going back to your mate."

"I am." Atem gave a soft moan as Yugi moved his hand down to the sensitive spot under his jaw, tickling it before returning to his petting, the motion slowing as the human leaned back into Atem. In response, Atem curled closer around Yugi. He glanced back up at Marik, giving his friend a smile before nuzzling Yugi. "I never said my mate was a female."

"Not a…gods Atem." Marik slumped to the ground, staring at him incredulously. "What did those humans do to you?"

Atem looked up with a growl, pulling Yugi closer to him. "Not you too." He had thought his friend would be a little more accommodating of Yugi instead of immediately taking the view that the others had. "The humans have done nothing to me. Yugi hasn't done anything to mess with my mind. I am perfectly serious and nothing you will say can convince me otherwise."

Marik swallowed and looked down at the human again, digging his claws into the ground. Atem snarled at the motion, shifting again so that Yugi was protected better. The pale gold dragon realized this and pulled his claws out of the dirt, looking sheepishly up at Atem. "Atem I…I just don't understand."

"Simple. I got to know him and I gave him half my heart." Marik stiffened at the words, glancing at Atem's chest before lowering his head to the ground, shaking it.

"Gods…Atem…What happened up there during those years of the dragon-slayers? I come back and they're all talking about you needing to recover from something and you're telling me that you ripped your heart in half for the sake of a human. You wouldn't have done that before."

Atem relaxed as Marik spoke, convinced that the dragon meant no harm to Yugi. The black and red dragon rolled to his side, allowing Yugi to clamber up on him to rest on his shoulder. He smiled up at the human before closing his eyes, debating on how to best answer Marik's questions. His friend was right that he would have never helped a human before, or even looked at one. But Yugi had changed that, Yugi had trusted him enough not to eat him when the prince had no reason to believe that the dragon wouldn't break that trust. Yugi was the one who looked at him like an intelligent creature after years of trying to be killed. Yugi was the only one who could call Atem back to his senses when his temper got the best of him, no matter what. Slowly, Yugi was the one who was helping him win his sanity back.

Atem gave an awkward shrug, catching Yugi as the motion sent him tumbling. The black and red dragon laughed as Yugi glared at him. "Sorry."

"Better be." Yugi treated him to a dazzling smile while playfully tapping him on the muzzle. Atem gave a growl and gently picked Yugi up by his shirt, moving the flailing prince from his body to the ground. "Atem. Darn it, Atem, put me down!"

He dropped Yugi down, quickly maneuvering the human so he was caught between Atem's forelegs and chest as the dragon shifted to lie more on his stomach. Yugi looked around his prison before looking up at Atem and pouting, making the dragon laugh again. "Do you blame me for wanting to keep you close?"

"Starved for attention."

"Three months without you." Atem gently licked Yugi's cheek, letting his tongue trace down his neck before pulling back, leaving the human swaying a bit at the unexpected sign of affection. "Of course I would be."

"He was worse when he was younger." Atem looked up as Marik spoke, embarrassed that he had forgotten his friend was there. The pale gold dragon gave Atem a slow smile, a sure hint of trouble. Yugi finally scrambled up onto Atem's foreleg, watching Marik as the other dragon rolled onto his back, exposing his belly to the sun. "He was very needy then too. Poor little Atem, never getting any attention from anyone."

Yugi and Marik laughed, the human resting his forehead on his knees as he gasped for air. Atem snorted and looked away. "I was never like that."

Marik rolled his eyes, the effect comical when the dragon was on his back. "Trust me, you were. I remember this one time..."

Atem rolled his eyes, turning his head to pretend that he was annoyed as he listened to his exploits being blown out of proportion. He let his eyes fall shut, chuckling at times as Yugi laughed, Marik scolding the human for interrupting the tale. A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth as he relaxed; this felt right. This was the life he wanted, one of contentment. A purr rumbled through him as Yugi began to pet his leg, earning a giggle from the prince. If only they could stay this way forever.

But there were others here now, others that would remind Yugi of what he had been before this time together. They would want their prince back and they would rip Yugi away from him. The dragons and humans from the camp would help them too; there were already mutters of how unnatural that their relationship was. The dragons wanted their Morningstar to produce chicks, an eternal memory of their great savior and possible victims for the next time they were in need. Atem bit back a growl at the thought, his eyes snapping open. He needed to have time with Yugi, away from the others.

He glanced back at Yugi realizing that Marik had stopped talking. The prince reached out to trace the underside of Atem's eye, the dragon allowing the caress before raising his head. The pale gold dragon rolled back onto his stomach, giving his friend a questioning glance before shaking his head. "No, Atem."

"No what?" Yugi was staring at him with confusion. Atem snorted and looked away, keeping Marik at the edge of his vision.

"They won't let me spend time with him, Marik. We both know that. So, I'm going to take the first step here. Let's see how well they do without their precious Morningstar to advise." He rolled his shoulder, inviting Yugi to climb up on his back. The prince smiled and clambered up onto the dragon, settling down where Atem's neck met his body. The black and red dragon smiled at his mate before standing up, offering an apologetic look at Marik. "I'm not abandoning them; I just need time to be me."

Marik gave a reluctant nod before stretching out more fully on the ground. "Whatever you say, Atem. I'll try and cover for you."

Atem flashed a smile at his friend before taking to the air, listening to Yugi's yelp of surprise as they climbed into sky. He circled once to wave at Marik before turning and heading for the desert. He had no idea where he was going, but it would be fine. As long as he had Yugi, everything would be perfect.

* * *

Gozaburo stared down the purple and brown dragon that had just arrived, crossing his arms and leaning back. His blue eyes flickered to the sides as he looked at the five other dragons that had accompanied this one. He had simply been going out to check on the status of his dragon when this one had plummeted from the sky, demanding to see the king. Who was this creature to demand such a thing from him? The king finally motioned for the dragon to speak, thinking that he had allowed the dragon to stew in silence for long enough. To his surprise, the dragon gave a bow, lowering his gaze from the king. "My apologizes, your majesty, I am just tired from my long flight here. I have come with news and the intention of helping you."

"What news?" He had almost asked how the dragon could help him first, but that would only further bind the dragon to him, something that Gozaburo did not want to do if the dragon would be of no help. His eyebrows rose as the dragon came up from his bow, claws tapping against the stone as the creature crept forward, eyes wide. "I have seen your nephew, your majesty, alive and well."

He scoffed, turning away from the dragon. "I stabbed him in the heart myself. I saw him die. There is no way he could be alive."

"If that is true, then why do you still live?" Gozaburo froze at the dragon's words, finding his own gaze moving to the black dragon that was chained down in the courtyard. His hands clenched at his sides as he forced himself not to press one of them over his heart. He heard the dragon shift behind him, the brown muzzle appearing close to him. "Why else would you keep a dragon like that unless you have reason to make sure that it is kept safe? And, if one dragon gave the same favor to you, why wouldn't another do it for your nephew? Unless, of course, there was no dragon."

Gozaburo gave a low curse. There had been a dragon the night that he had stabbed Yugi. It had been the one to scatter all of them, even attacking Mahad before flying off with what Gozaburo had always assumed was a body. After all, Yugi couldn't have survived much longer. But why would a dragon do that for Yugi, unless it was part of one of the small patches of resistance that the peasants were cobbling together against him. But the peasants didn't even know about this. It had to be kept silent to avoid rebellion. After all, there was still too great a chance that they would rise up for the rights of the unborn brat. He tapped a finger against his leg before turning around to face the dragon. "What do you offer then?"

The dragon gave a slow smile, lowering its voice so it would not carry far. "The ones who are gifted with the heart of a dragon cannot be killed unless the dragon is slain, they have an almost immortal life."

"I know this." Gozaburo ground the words out. "Now, what can you offer me?"

"I have five dragons that follow my every command. That leaves you five dragons to extend the lives of five knights. And I would be willing to throw myself into the bargain, for a small price."

He was tempted to accept the deal right there. If his five most trusted knights were given the same power as he, with the dragons being controlled by their loyalty to their leader who served him alone, then he could easily subdue the rest of the kingdom. Even expand beyond this meager valley. It was a good deal, except for that vague price. He rocked back on his heels, pretending to think about it. "And what would that be?"

The purple and brown dragon smiled. "I just want the pleasure of killing the dragon who gave Yugi his heart myself. Nothing more. Is that too steep for you, your majesty?"

Gozaburo shook his head. He had already killed Yugi once; that was enough for him. As long as his plans were carried out, this dragon could kill all the dragons in the world for all he cared. It just further proved that this deal was flawless. Five dragons for five knights, and one still left over for Seto. It was time to tear him away from that whore of his. Gozaburo smirked. "I accept your offer."

"Good." The dragon settled himself on the ground. "Call out your chosen knights and we'll complete this task now. You can start the attacks after they have recovered."

Gozaburo looked up at the clouds, shaking his head. "After the snows have gone, that way we can have soldiers to secure the holdings instead of rendering them all to ashes. No one rules over a barren land."

"Very wise." The dragon gave a wide smile, showing its pointed teeth. "We can afford to wait, but not for the placing of the hearts. Now would be the best time so that dragon and human can figure out a way to work together. I, for one, would rather not be pierced by a sword as your knights fumble about. Call them out."

"Wait." Gozaburo held up a hand and walked away from the dragon, surprised that it did not growl at his order. He had initially thought that this one would be hot headed, ready to attack him if his deal was not accepted. Now he could see that he had read the dragon wrong. Still, he was the one who would decide which dragon when with which knight. He scanned over the dragons, smiling when he found that they were all in good shape, except for one small one. The king turned around to look at the purple and brown dragon, who gave a shrug.

"That one is at his full growth. He's a bit of a gamble, but extremely loyal." Gozaburo waved the words away, the purple and brown dragon relaxing again. He couldn't trust the small white dragon on the battlefield with his knights; it simply wouldn't inspire the fear he was going for. He would keep it here, as a threat for the other dragons if need be. If not, then he could plan around it. One little dragon wasn't going to stop him so easily.

"Have them ready." Gozaburo stepped around the orange dragon, giving him an even stare. "And I will have my men out as soon as they can be gathered. But have that little one set aside."

The purple and brown dragon stood up, giving another bow. "To a wonderful partnership, your majesty. And to the downfall of your enemies."

Gozaburo smirked and strolled into his castle, pulling a page from his spot by the door and sending him off with the order to find his five trusted knights. Another one was sent to find his son and his whore. They should be witness to the growth of the kingdom. He rubbed his hands together against the chill, pulling his cloak more tightly around his body as he waited for the ones he had summoned.

His knights did not disappoint him. The king smiled and motioned for them to follow him, one hand resting on his sword. He waited until he had led them out into the courtyard before he pointed at the small white dragon. "Lector, chain this one up beside the other one."

The knight bowed and went on his mission. Gozaburo then pointed to one of the dragons who cowered behind the purple and brown one. "You, come here." The dragon inched forward as Gozaburo pulled Crump out of the small group of knights. "You know what to do?"

The dragon nodded miserably as Gozaburo turned to look at his knights. "You swore loyalty to me no matter what happens. Is that correct?"

Silence fell over them for a moment before the nods started, some of the knights verbally confirming what he had said. Gozaburo smirked at their eagerness, his expression silencing them. "Good."

With that, he plunged the sword into Crump's heart and shoved him away, the purple and brown dragon catching the knight as the chosen dragon plunged his own claws into his chest and ripped out half of his heart. Gozaburo turned away from the cries of pain, motioning the next knight forward.

* * *

Seto looked up as a panting page entered his chambers. He stood up, gesturing for Kisara to remain reclining on the bed. He ignored her noise of protest as he strode to meet the messenger. The boy looked up at him before averting his eyes to the ground, preferring to look at the floor. "Your father sends for you, my prince. He summons you and…" The page glanced up at Kisara before looking back at the ground. "To the courtyard, immediately."

Before Seto could question the boy further, he had scampered off, leaving Seto standing at the door in shock. His father was actually sending for him instead of sneaking up on him and trying to surprise him. Seto's hand tightened on the doorframe, eyes narrowing. He didn't like this situation at all. Releasing the doorframe, he rubbed his forehead before slouching against the door. He didn't look up at the creak of the bed, but he did raise his eyes as Kisara rested a hand on his shoulder. "Seto?"

"Dress warmly, we're going to meet my father." Seto pulled away from her to gather his cloak, fastening the clasp before walking to the door. He saw Kisara still standing there, fiddling with her hands. He sighed and pulled her close, whispering into her hair. "I know this isn't a good idea, but what more can I do?"

"I don't know." She pulled away and gathered her own cloak before follow him out, quickly slipping her hand into his. Usually, Seto would let go so that they could continue the act, but he wanted this moment to prepare himself for whatever twisted plan his father had. He led Kisara down the halls, stopping before they entered the Great Hall to raise her hand to his lips and give it a kiss. Kisara blushed and looked away, smiling as he dropped her hand and gestured for her to enter the open area before him. "After you."

The mask slipped on easily as they stepped out of the shadows of the corridor, Seto becoming the prince of the realm and Kisara a mere servant. He forced himself to keep his eyes from slipping over in her direction or reaching out for her because his self control was the only thing keeping her safe. If anyone found out what they were or what she meant to him, they would use her. Seto was more concerned what his father would do to Kisara than any of the populace. He brushed her aside as they reached the open door, stepping out into the frigid night air and looking around.

Torches burned at the end of the courtyard where the black dragon was chained, making shadows dance on the walls. Seto stepped away from the castle and made his way over, his sure strides slowing down as he heard the frantic rattling of chains and bellows of a creature. His father's prisoner had long since ceased making those noises because the dragon knew there would be no escape. There was no reason for the dragon to revert back to its previous behavior. Still, Seto walked faster, quickly rounding the corner of the castle.

He stopped dead in his tracks, Kisara peeking around him with a gasp. Chained beside the large black dragon was a smaller one, its shape reminding Seto of the dragon who had saved him from the peasants years ago. When it saw Seto, the dragon gave a miserable whimper and strained against the chains, throwing its whole body weight against the iron. Blood gleamed in the torchlight from where the dragon had already injured itself.

Before he could stop her, Kisara ran over to kneel by the dragon's head, whispering soothing words to it. The dragon stopped struggling, instead staring wide eyes at Seto. The brunette walked over to the dragon, intending to speak with it when he noticed the blood that stained the cobblestones. He followed the trail with his eyes, abruptly standing up from his crouched position when he saw his father standing at the end of it.

Seto moved in front of Kisara as he noticed the bloodied sword that swung loosely in his father's hand, the blood reminding him of the last time he had seen that sword. Seto suppressed the urge to gag, not wanting to appear weak in this moment. He shook his head and looked behind his father, mouth dropping open as he saw the bloodstained knights leaning against dragons, all except for Lector who was standing nervously next to his king. Seto took a step back, reaching for Kisara as the woman shot to her feet. "What have you done?"

"Silence!" Gozaburo pointed his sword at Kisara, blue eyes sparkling dangerously. "I will not have you interfere with this moment of triumph. Here I have assembled the beginnings of my elite force, one that will serve the kings of my line for years to come. We will rule over this world through wits and strength. Nothing will be able to stop us!"

He turned and plunged the sword into Lector's chest, the knight crumpling with a cry of pain. Seto lunged forward, only to be stopped by Kisara as the purple and brown dragon stepped forward, looming over Lector as it clawed at its own chest, face contorted in strange ecstasy. Seto thought he heard Kisara mumble something, but was distracted by the pulsing light that the dragon pulled from his chest and dropped into Lector's chest. A burst of flame obscured the bright light before they both went out, leaving a dazed Lector on the ground.

Seto took a step back as the knight stood up, eyes moving from his father to the knight that should have been dead. There was no rational reason this should be happening, which left it up to magic. But Seto knew that the ability to use magic was slowly dying out, there shouldn't have been any left in the word by now. This shouldn't be allowed to happen so easily with magic users so scarce. It went against all his beliefs.

He reached out for Kisara, keeping her close behind him as he backed them toward the castle. If they made it into the Great Hall, then the dragons couldn't come in, leaving the knights vulnerable to attack. He could rush Kisara out through a servant's entrance and then…Seto's eyes narrowed as his father began to laugh, walking forward and leaving his knights leaning against the dragons that they were bound to. Without his permission, Seto's body cringed away from his father, making the king laugh.

"Does it disgust you, Seto? Does knowing what I am…what they are, disgust you? Do you think it unnatural or unholy?" Gozaburo paused long enough for Seto to draw a breath before he continued on. "Well, your thoughts on the matter are useless, seeing as you will be joining us soon."

He gave Kisara a shove backwards, one hand groping for the hilt of his sword as Gozaburo gestured to the white dragon that was pinned to the ground. "That one is for you, my son, so that you may live forever unlike your weak mother and brother. Too bad it is too afraid to face up to its future. Perhaps having part of its heart in you will give it the courage it needs. Lector, Nesbitt; hold him."

Seto pulled his sword partially out of its sheath before the two knights got a hold on him. He grunted as the sword was knocked out of his hands and sent spinning away on the cobblestones. Seto glanced at his now useless weapon before beginning to struggle in the hold of the knights, gasping as they wrenched his arms back into an uncomfortable position. He gritted his teeth and looked up at his father, leaning back as the bloodied sword came closer to him. Gozaburo laughed, the sound making Seto repress a shiver. The man was not sane anymore.

"Don't fight your destiny, Seto. You and I will bring the world to its knees." Seto increased his struggles as his father brought the sword up over his heart. The man was panting for air as he leaned back, nearly bent in half as he tried to avoid the sword. He gasped as his movements were brought to a stop, the point now hovering over his heart. His eyes were wide in fear, but he wouldn't beg his father, nothing could bring him that low. Instead, he glared up at the man, trying to put all of his hatred into the gaze.

A bright flare of light distracted him. Seto turned in his captor's grip, his father momentarily forgotten as he looked for the source of the light. He got a glimpse of Kisara before the light consumed her, his heart pounding quickly as she disappeared. His mouth felt dry as he realized that he had lost her. Seto slumped in the hold that the two knights had over him, trying to figure out what had happened. He closed his eyes, breath coming in short pants as his anger grew. It was the time for revenge against whatever Gozaburo had done to Kisara.

He was about the lunge forward when he heard the roar of a dragon, wind whipping past him as something came crashing down to the ground. The two knights that were holding him suddenly let go, allowing him to turn around the face the thing that had appeared.

Bright light still poured off of the dragon, the familiar dragon shaking it off as it turned angry blue eyes toward the knights. The humans scrambled back, even Gozaburo running from the dragon's wrath. Seto flinched as the dragon took a step forward, surprised when it placed itself over him, a growl echoing around the castle walls. "You will _not_ harm him."

"So this is where you were hiding, Kisara?" Seto stared at the purple and brown dragon before looking up at the white dragon that stood over him. Kisara? But that wasn't possible. He was pushed out of the way as the purple and brown dragon took a step closer, his protector making sure that he was kept away from the dragons and humans. "That's too bad. If only Atem had known, then maybe he wouldn't have had to go through half the things he put himself through. Maybe he would still be sane."

Kisara snarled, the only reaction she gave a flicker of worry in her blue eyes. "He can take care of himself."

"I'm sure he can, but it's you I'm more worried about. Binding yourself to a human. Carrying his child. What happened to your pride, Kisara?" Seto clenched his hand into a fist, glaring at the purple and brown dragon. He would admit, if only to himself, that he was not able to follow this conversation to the fullest. But that did not give this dragon a reason to insult and belittle this dragon that protected him. Seto wasn't sure what to think about the resemblance of the dragon to his lover, but he would get to the bottom of this when there was room to breathe.

She snorted, now beginning to push Seto back to the castle. Her appearance had caused a stalemate, which kept Gozaburo from advancing his plan forward. Kisara paused again at the door to the castle, glaring at all of them. "You will not harm him as long as I am around."

"And what happens then?" The purple and brown dragon shuffled forward, Gozaburo following the dragon with a similar smile on his face.

"There will be others willing to protect him." Her eyes narrowed. "I am not afraid of you."

The blinding light returned, making Seto raise a hand to cover his eyes. He peered out from under his arm, waiting for the pulsing light to disappear. He was shoved into the doors the next moment, another nudge urging him to swing open the doors wide enough to allow them both to enter, leaving Gozaburo and his twisted creations out there.

Seto slumped against the doors, watching as the light disappeared, leaving Kisara shivering and naked in the middle of the great hall. Without thinking, Seto swept his cloak from his shoulders and wrapped it around her, beginning to guide the woman up towards their chambers. Silence fell between them, lasting until they reached the door of their shared chambers. Out of habit, Seto opened the door for her and motioned Kisara in, following after her and locking the door. Once inside, the close call finally occurred to him, slumping against the wall and sliding down until he was sitting on the floor.

"Seto?" He looked up as Kisara's voice, finding her sitting on the edge of their bed, his cloak wrapped tightly around her. She flinched at something in his gaze, looking at the floor as she talked. "I meant to tell you before, but then I didn't know that I would be able to change back. I was ready to spend my entire life with you and I still am. Nothing that I ever told you was a lie."

He sighed and stood up, wondering why his head felt so empty when he should have been in a rage. Kisara had been lying to him the entire time he had known her. But, in the light of knowing that his father had just assembled an unbeatable force, this was something minor. After all, Kisara had saved him again, and she hadn't run off to leave him. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing for a moment before settling beside Kisara on the bed. "Why?"

"I thought I saw the true Seto when no one else could." Kisara winced as she spoke. "That sounds really cliché now, but I still think it's true. I watched you as a dragon and fell in love with what I could see behind that mask. And giving up everything wasn't that bad, because I never had much as a dragon in the first place, just a good friend. Is that alright?"

"Kisara I…" Seto slumped, leaning into her when she rested an arm over his shoulders. "What else would you have me do? I don't want to throw you out and I can't be mad, at least, not right now. I never asked you where you came from, or why that dragon chained in the courtyard seemed to know you. I never looked for you past like I should have. Partially, this should be my fault." Seto cast around for more words before falling backwards on the bed with a sigh, one hand resting on his heart. He had been so close to losing it all tonight because of his crazy father. He looked up at Kisara, his eyes glancing down at her stomach. "Is…"

"The baby?" Kisara rested a hand on her stomach with a faint smile. "It's alright. I wouldn't have done that if I wasn't sure."

Seto gave a nod, closing his eyes. He shifted to hold Kisara close as she rested beside him, using the moment of calm to begin to collect himself. He meant what he had said, it was useless to get mad with Kisara over such a trivial thing when much more was at stake. Gozaburo was sure to move as soon as he was sure that he could take what he wanted with the minimal loss to his already small forces. And Yugi was still out there, somewhere, probably in the same state that his father and the knights were, bound to a dragon to keep him alive. Hopefully, Yugi and Mahad would appear out of the woodwork to incite rebellion before Seto had to act himself. Because striking against his father without backup would mean that he would end up losing something precious to him.

* * *

_Read and review please. Constructive criticism is always welcome._


	12. Going Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I own bits of the plot and the OC that is introduced here.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I own bits of the plot and the OC that is introduced here.

**Warning:** Lemon.

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Going Back**

**   
_The Prince did bid his paradise good-bye  
And left with the dragon fated to die._   
**

**Sixth Months Later**

Gozaburo stood on the battlements of his castle, watching the fog rise from the valley. He tapped his fingers against the stone, surveying the narrow valley that held his kingdom, suddenly feeling cramped. There had to be expansion for them to survive. The peasants were too lazy, so there would have to be more willing to serve him, if they wanted to survive. The taxes would have to be raised to take care of this expenditure and treaties with other kingdoms made quickly. It would be a waste to have his forces throw themselves against the armies of other kingdoms when things could be settled in a calm manner. Although, he would have liked to have more children to cement these treaties. As of now, he only had Seto, who was against his every idea.

The king sighed, looking to his right as the familiar purple and orange dragon placed his head on the walkway of the battlements. Gozaburo smiled and gestured out toward the valley. "Get a dragon ready. We're attacking a town today. We need to show the peasants that we are still in charge."

Rex nodded and stood up, slipping easily out of the way as the gates opened to allow a panting messenger in. Gozaburo scowled at the man before motioning for him to climb the stairs to the battlements. The messenger groaned, but followed his king's orders, bounding up the stairs before kneeling at Gozaburo's feet. He glanced up after a moment, taking a deep breath before delivering his message. "I did as you asked, my lord, and went north to see if the girl had gone there. I found her, but Mahad is watching over her, as you guessed."

His blue eyes narrowed. Of course the girl would go to Mahad, especially if she was carrying Yugi's child. Sadly, it was a predictable move, something that Gozaburo should have countered instead of trying to persuade his son to see eye to eye with him. "Go on."

"The child sir, it was delivered days ago. I left the village as soon as I was sure that it would live."

"And you are sure the child is Yugi's."

The messenger nodded quickly. "Yes, my lord. I saw the boy myself. And it is a son, one with a legitimate claim to the throne."

Gozaburo waved the messenger away, turning to look out over his kingdom again, his only reaction to the news a clenching of his hand. There was another problem now, but thankfully one easily solved. He would run a test with his dragon knights on the troublesome village close to his castle, the one that had sheltered the girl in the first place. Then, if all went well, he would send one to destroy the village that held both the girl and Mahad, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

Of course, the death of the boy could have been avoided if the girl had managed to carry his child. Gozaburo would have allowed both the girl and the baby to live if the boy had been his. It was a blow to his ego that he had managed to fail where Yugi had succeeded. He let go of his anger and stared at the village below. One step at a time. That was the way that he would win dominion over this world.

* * *

Tèa happily held her son, sitting outside the small shack that she shared with Tristan. Normally, she would stay inside and hide the baby from sight. She didn't want rumors starting up about who the child resembled. But there was an important reason for her to be outside today. Mahad was coming and she wanted to meet him. And she still couldn't bring herself to let the baby go, not yet. She looked down at the sleeping infant in her arms, cuddling him close in another hug before reaching out to trace his small features.

She had gotten her wish; he resembled his father more than her with his almost unnaturally pale skin and small size. The midwife had been worried that the baby wouldn't survive his first night because of his size, which had kept Tèa up for the next few nights as she watched over her child, praying to the gods that he would be alright. Happily, he was still alive and healthy, if still tiny. The baby even had a small dusting of fuzz over his head, most of it black although, in the right light, it turned reddish. The baby gave a gurgle as it woke up, blinking up at its mother with wide eyes before snuggling closer.

His eyes were the only disappointment to Tèa, but it was nothing that she couldn't get over. After all, her prayers had been answered, for the most part. Who was she to demand more of the gods when her child was alive and healthy? Instead of the purple eyes that his father had, the child had eyes that looked more blue than purple, but his father's coloration could still be seen in the depths. But they still held the same spark that Yugi's had held.

The sound of hooves made Tèa look up, shifting the baby so he couldn't be seen easily. She relaxed as she saw Mahad slip down from his horse, greeting another villager who walked by before jogging over to Tèa. She smiled and gave a quick bow before motioning for him to enter the shack first, following afterward.

In the safety of the home, Mahad quickly turned around, his brown eyes showing life for the first time in months. The knight had refrained from coming to see the baby too soon, and Tèa had understood. This was the one chance for both of them, Tèa to have something of her beloved and Mahad to gain his second chance; it would have broken them if the baby had died. Now, they were sure that the infant boy would live, and Mahad had come down at the first free moment he had.

Tèa held out the child for him to hold, smiling as the knight gently cradled the bundle to his chest, peering down at the infant's features. He cautiously reached out, a smile crossing his face as the infant grasped the offered finger in his tiny fist, eyes brightening as he looked upon the new human. Mahad chuckled, the sound odd to Tèa's ears as she had never heard the knight laugh before, never seen a smile light up the somber features of the man. A smile suited him much more than his customary frown did.

"He's his father's son." Mahad carefully removed his finger from the infant's grasp, holding him up to the dim light. "I can see that already. Unfortunately, I never saw Yugi when he was this young. And his eyes…"

"He has my eyes." Tèa shook her head, looking at her child as he wiggled happily in the knight's hold. Mahad glanced at her before lowering the boy and handing him back to her, gently putting two fingers under her chin to raise her eyes to meet his.

"I can see you in him and I can see Yugi. That is enough." The knight pulled away, walking back to the opening of the shack and pausing as he looked around the place. "I almost want to take you two back to my father's house to keep him safe, but you wouldn't let me do that. You want him to grow up like the common people so that he won't turn out like Gozaburo. But, don't hesitate to come to me if you need help."

"Thank you." Tèa gave him a smile and walked to the door, waving as he mounted his horse and rode off to continue on his rounds. She leaned against the wooden shelter, looking at her child before walking back inside. She sat down on the ground, relishing the few more days of freedom she had before she went back to work, both Tristan and Mahad wanting to be sure that her child was in top condition because of his size. The son of the prince would not have an easy life like his father.

She placed her child on the ground, fixing the patchy blanket around him as he yawned, large eyes blinking as he fought sleep. Tèa chuckled and ticked under his chin, earning a surprised look from the child that soon turned to a pout. She laughed and lay down beside him, pulling him close and kissing his forehead. "Sweet dreams, darling."

* * *

Seto paced outside the door to his chambers, having been kicked out about an hour before. He would have protested the move had the order not come from the midwife and if the baby already hadn't been a week late. He was too worried about Kisara to bother about the slight to his position. He paused by the door, waiting for barely a second for any noise before he had to start pacing again. What if Kisara had been wrong? What if her change into a dragon all those months ago had affected her and the baby? The only sign of his increased agitation was an increase of speed, his head turning to keep a constant eye on the door. He was so lost in the same cycle of worry that he missed the door opening and the midwife peeking out. "My lord?"

He dropped all pretenses of his social status and ran into the room, making immediately for the bed and kneeling beside it. He peered at the small bundle that Kisara held in her arms, ignoring the bloodied sheets. Carefully, he reached out to touch her arm, earning a weak smile from Kisara. For a moment, he was afraid that he would lose her, not used to seeing her so weak. His fears were alleviated as Kisara rolled her eyes and shifting so she was sitting more upright. "I'm stronger than you think, Seto. Now, say hello to your son. It was hard enough work just getting him out here, the little troublemaker."

Seto found himself holding the bundle, cradling it close to him as he stood up. The baby in his arms squirmed a bit, seeking warmth. He tensed at the movement, only relaxing when the baby settled. A glance at Kisara and he was sitting at the edge of the bed, barely noticing the midwife bustling around and calling in servants to help clean up. He turned his son so the light fell on the boy, observing his features before passing him back to Kisara. "He looks like my brother."

"Oh." Kisara paused and adjusted the blanket around her child, biting her lip for a moment before looking up at Seto. "We could name him after your brother, in his memory."

There was a smothered gasp from the midwife, Kisara turning her head to look at the woman in confusion. Seto rested a hand on her arm, drawing her attention back to him. "Children aren't usually named until they have lived through a few weeks. If he is named before then, people will think that he is cursed." He raised an eyebrow to show that he didn't believe what he was telling her.

His reward was a quiet laugh and a shake of her head. "Silly human superstitions. There's nothing wrong with naming a child after they are born." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Your father is a curse enough for this one."

Seto gave a curt nod, not wanting to acknowledge anything that his father could use against him. Already, relations were more strained than before. He had often felt like he was being watched as he went about his business and he was never left alone in any room barring his own. Usually, he would just ignore the obvious breech of his privacy, but it was quickly getting to a point where he held almost no power anymore. All because he had refused to mutilate himself for his father's grand plan. He was about to remind Kisara to watch what she said when a roar made him jump.

He rushed over to the small window, glancing back to see Kisara calming their crying son. Assured that his family was alright, Seto peered out of the window, hands clenching by his side in rage. While the stone of the castle blocked most of the sight, he could still see smoke billowing past them, carried by the breeze. It wasn't hard to guess what his father had done. A whole village burning because he wanted to test out his new force. Seto nearly snarled as he spun back around, storming over to his desk to snatch up his cloak and pull it quickly into place. He looked over at the midwife, his glare silencing any protest that she would have had. "You keep watch over them. If I come back and they are harmed in any way, you will pay the price."

Before the stunned woman could answer or Kisara could reprimand him for his treatment of the woman, he was striding off down the hall, nearly jogging as he rushed toward the courtyard. He would not allow the slaughter of innocent people to go without a fight. While he couldn't save them all, he could try and find places for them to evacuate to. If his father wasn't careful, he would have a rebellion on his hands soon.

Seto shoved open the doors that led to the courtyard, noticing that Crump quickly scrambled up from his seat by the fire and attempted to keep up with his long strides. Seto snorted and headed for the stables, barely pausing as he snatched a bridle from its place and walked into a stall. He quickly threw the piece of tack onto the horse, not bothering with a saddle as he led the animal out into the courtyard. Crump was just catching up to him when Seto vaulted onto the horse's back and sent it racing for the gates. He heard the knight give a cry of shock before he left the castle behind him, slowing the horse so it wouldn't break any limbs.

Now he could see what was on fire and this time he did growl as he saw the village. His eyes traced the flames that danced in the cool spring air, watching as the pale green dragon swooped through them, the knight on its back barely visible. The two circled around the village once before the dragon dove close to the ground, breathing out a stream of fire in a seemingly random direction, but Seto knew differently. There were people in those flames now, burning and dying all because Gozaburo needed to gather more power.

He scrambled for a better hold on the horse's mane as the animal stumbled, nearly rearing as it tried to avoid a slick patch on the hill. Seto dug his heels into the horse's sides, pitching forward as the horse leapt over the mud, nearly falling as it landed on the other side. Seto swung the horse's head around, aiming for the village that was now only a few feet away and sending the horse off at a gallop again. He pressed himself close to the animal's back when the dragon swooped over, another stream of flame burning the people who had started to run to him for help. Seto narrowed his eyes and pushed his horse faster, there would be others that he could save, or at least call the dragon's attack off.

The horse was suddenly pulled to a halt, the motion nearly tumbling Seto from its back. He pushed himself back upright and glared at the man who was holding his horse. The man shook his head and rushed for the woods, Seto hesitating before looking back at the village, his mouth dropping open. He had been seconds too late. From where he sat on the horse, he could see the peasants running for the woods and the village burning merrily. There was nothing else he could do. With a curse, Seto turned his horse towards the woods. This had gone on too long.

Peasants leapt for the shadows as Seto ducked under the hanging branches, pulling his horse to a stop and looking around him. The man who had stopped him from going into the village walked forward, obviously the spokesperson for the group. Seto noticed the burns on the man's arms before they were folding across his chest, hiding the marks from view. "What do you want?"

"A chance for you to live." Seto slid off the horse, handing the reins to the surprised man. He spun the man around, giving him a shove towards the south. Kisara had told him that most dragons would fly down there to spend the cold months before heading back north. There was a good chance that the dragon that they were looking for was down there. If not, then they could convince other dragons to help them. "Ride south until you find the nomads and ask them for help. Say you are searching for Atem and that your people need their help."

"And if they don't believe me?"

"Tell them that Kisara sent you." Seto boosted the man onto the horse, nearly throwing him over the opposite side in his haste. "The sooner you get help, the sooner we can fight against whatever Gozaburo plans. I, for one, am tired of waiting for the lower class to rebel against him. There are nobles willing to help if you make the first move."

"So you can watch us die?"

"We are stuck under his gaze." Seto took the reins of the horse and pulled the animal forward, ignoring all the stares from the peasants. "If we move first, then we die. I promise, if you begin to fight, we will help you. Now go!"

The man hesitated before giving the horse an awkward kick, nearly falling off the animal as it galloped into the depths of the woods. Seto looked at the other peasants before turning on his heel, cloak whipping out behind him as he strode out of the trees and back toward the castle. His eyes widened as he saw Crump waiting at the bottom of the hill, forcing his mask into place as he walked toward the knight. His actions today would not go without punishment, but there was little Gozaburo could do anymore. Word would spread among the peasants, and they would start setting up places where the dragons couldn't get to them. Soon, Gozaburo wouldn't have much of a kingdom to rule over.

* * *

**One Week Later**

Atem sat up with a smirk, licking his lips as Yugi came back to earth after his orgasm. The former dragon propped himself up over his mate, giving him a caste kiss before pulling back. The prince blinked up at him, the thought process obvious on his face. "Pretty satisfied with yourself?"

Atem gave a predatory smile as he let himself rest on top of Yugi, the warmth from his body making the human moan. "I should be. After all, you seemed to be. Especially with all that begging and screaming."

Yugi blushed for a moment before wrapping his arms around Atem and pulling him into a kiss. The former dragon smiled at the action, opening his mouth to allow Yugi to explore it with his tongue. This was what he imagined his life to be like when he was younger. Just living for the moment and enjoying the company of his mate. Together, they had managed to dodge those who had wanted them to return for half a year, not wanting to come back to reality. Atem knew he was deluding himself if he thought that the problem would simply go away if he ignored it long enough. He was the Morningstar and would have to put up with the dragons' pleas for his blood. So, for once, he had thought about himself alone and taken the first chance he had to get away. And he had showed Yugi the boundaries of his world, albeit most of it involved Yugi viewing the world from his back.

Atem pulled away from his mate when the need to breathe became too much, settling for nuzzling Yugi's neck until the human tipped it to one side, allowing him more access. He looked up as Yugi blindly reached for something, hand closing around a small jar of oil and pulling it towards them. He chuckled and gave Yugi's neck a nip, soothing the spot with his tongue a moment later. "Already so eager, love?"

"You've been teasing me all day." Yugi tried to pout, the expression wiped off his face as Atem's hand found a ticklish spot on his side, making him arch away from the touch.

He hummed in response, taking the jar of oil from Yugi and sliding down so he was kneeling between the prince's spread legs. He stroked the inside of one of his thighs, watching as Yugi squirmed at the touch. Atem chuckled before leaning up and kissing his mate's chest in apology for the tease. "I have my reasons."

This was the last chance that he would have Yugi all to himself without any more distractions. His instincts were telling him to begin to head up to his usual hunting grounds and to get away from the other dragons since mating season was officially over. Unlike other years, he wouldn't be heading back up to Gozaburo's kingdom, instead remaining behind with the people to keep Yugi happy. Honestly, he didn't mind staying away from the northern kingdoms, the memories of what he had done up there sometimes causing nightmares. But, as long as he had Yugi, he was fine.

He slicked up his fingers, gently pushing one into Yugi and watching as the prince arched, breathing out his name softly. Atem smiled, reaching up with his other hand to push Yugi's bangs out of his eyes. Yugi turned his head and kissed Atem's palm, looking at him out of the corner of one violet eye. "Please. I need you."

Atem swallowed and nodded, inserting another finger and brushing them against Yugi's prostate. His mate gave a strangled scream, both hands gripping Atem's shoulders as he pushed back against the fingers. Words emerged from the gibberish that Yugi was emitting, but nothing that Atem could actually pick out. He scissored his fingers, stretching Yugi before pulling them out and reaching for the jar of oil. He poured more onto his hand, looking up as Yugi as the prince whimpered, glancing up at Atem.

The former dragon quickly prepared himself, plunging into Yugi as soon as he was ready. The prince gave a cry of pleasure and scrambled at Atem's back, trying to keep him close as he began to move. They settled into a rhythm, the fast pace promising release too soon for either of their tastes, but the feeling of skin brushing against skin was just too delicious to slow down.

Slowly, a sound was heard by the former dragon, attracting his attention despite the moans and partial screams that Yugi was making. Atem stopped moving at the rustle of something in the foliage around them, fingers digging into the ground as he lowered himself closer to Yugi, protecting his mate. Slowly, the human struggled out of the euphoric haze he had been entering, looking up at Atem before moving his hands so they rested on the former dragon's biceps. "Atem?"

He answered with a growl, his red eyes narrowing as he stared at one place right above Yugi's head. He felt Yugi shiver under him, reluctant to move incase motion incited whatever was watching them to attack. They were left in suspense for a moment before a pale gold dragon stumbled out of the undergrowth, twisting awkwardly to rid a hind foot of a clinging vine. Marik smirked at the defeated vegetation before turning around, his mouth dropping open at the sight before him. "Am I…interrupting something?"

"Yes." Atem closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening them again. "And, if you value your life, you will leave us be."

Marik nodded, shifting back toward the cover of the trees. "There's someone asking after you. I'll…I'll tell them you're busy."

The dragon disappeared back into the trees, the two entwined on the ground able to hear Marik as he stumbled away. Atem sighed and shook his head, mentally cursing his friend for his bad timing. He looked down abruptly as he felt Yugi shift, pulling away from him. Atem gave a warning growl before pulling Yugi back, moaning at the feel of being inside the human. He didn't want to be torn away from this paradise yet. He wanted to bask in the feeling of being with his mate for a few moments more. Yugi shifted, stifling a moan himself when the move made Atem brush against his prostate. "Shouldn't you be going? There's someone waiting for you."

"They can wait." Atem leaned down and kissed Yugi passionately, waiting until the prince was moaning into the kiss again before moving, gasping at the feeling of muscles massaging his length. Yugi quickly returned to his hold of Atem's shoulders, now pleading with the former dragon.

"Please...faster…Atem. So close."

Atem smirked and reached down to stroke Yugi's penis, moving from the kiss to nip at Yugi's neck. It only took a moment of this treatment before Yugi came, screaming his release to the sky. Atem followed after him, collapsing on top of Yugi as his arms gave out. The two lay on the ground, panting for air before Atem pulled out, remaining braced over Yugi as he called up magic to transform him back into a dragon, making sure that the black tendrils brushed over his mate's skin. Yugi shuddered at the touch, jumping when Atem ran his tongue over his body, cleaning the prince up. Yugi tried to remain still waiting until Atem had finished before he stood up and gathered his clothes.

The black and red dragon admired the view that his mate gave him before sighing and walking towards where Marik disappeared, hating that the real world had intruded upon his time with his mate. He looked over his shoulder, smiling as Yugi rushed after him, holding what little belongings the human had ended up with from their little excursion. Atem lowered his head to nuzzle Yugi's side before following him out of the forest.

* * *

Ryou watched Joey and Serenity race over to hug their friend, feeling awkward around the man he had left for dead the day he had save the two. Shyly, he offered a hand to the green eyed man, hoping that a smile would push away any anger that he still felt toward the poet. To his surprise, the man enthusiastically shook his head before staring at Serenity. "I can never thank you enough for saving her. And you managed to find the one place in the world that could help her. Thank you."

The poet smiled as Joey scowled and herded his sister behind him, glaring at the man. "Just because she can see, Duke doesn't mean that I'll let my guard down."

Ryou laughed as Duke stared at his friend in mock shock, turning around as Marik rushed from the trees. The pale gold dragon looked behind him with an expression akin to embarrassment before flopping onto the ground and covering his eyes with a foreleg. When he felt the enquiring glanced, he lifted the limb a fraction to look at them. "Atem will be out in a bit." The limb was lowered back over his eyes as the dragon shuddered.

He was about to question the dragon further when a shout from the nearest trees drew his attention. They were too far away to hear the content of the shout, but Joey still covered his sister's ears, glaring at the trees. Ryou blushed and dropped his head into his hands with a sigh, jumping when someone brushed his shoulder. He peeked out of his hands to see Bakura smirking as he leaned against him. The thief actually laughed to himself. "Sounds like someone is enjoying themselves."

The poet swatted at his lover, Duke and Joey giving the thief incredulous stares for his comment. The blonde cautiously removed his hands from over his sister's ears, looking over at Marik as the dragon gave a groan and pressed the limb closer to his face. Bakura laughed at the dragon's expression, leaning over to whisper in Ryou's ear. "I bet I know what's keeping Atem."

Ryou shoved Bakura away with a snort of disgust, walking over to stand by Marik as the pale gold dragon peeked out from under his foreleg again, blinking before looking over his shoulder and sitting up. The dragon looked at all of them before sighing. "He should be coming out any minute now."

They passed through the next couple of minutes in silence before a black and red dragon shoved his way out of the trees, glaring at Marik before striding forward and stretching out on the ground. Atem paused and looked over his shoulder, shifting to allow a human to clamber up next to him, sleepily curling up in the bend of his forearm. Atem gave the human a brief nuzzle before focusing on the other dragon with a fierce glare. "What was so important that you had to interrupt me?"

Ryou didn't hear Marik's response, instead staring at the human that was cuddled up to the dragon and trying to fight off sleep. He would recognize the tri-colored hair and strange purple eyes anywhere. But the problem was that he had never expected to see them again. He had watched as the prince had been run through with a sword. He had been there in the aftermath when neither the dragon nor the body could be found, leaving Bakura and himself to try and sweep up the pieces. And yet, the prince still lived and looked healthier than before.

The others seemed to be staring at Yugi with the same mixture of horror and surprise, the three peasants throwing themselves onto the ground in a bow as they recognized the man. Ryou shuffled closer, not stopping when Bakura rested a cautionary hand on his shoulder. He had to find out who this was; if this was just a cruel trick of his eyes. Ryou jerked his shoulder out of Bakura's grip, rushing up to Atem. He shivered under the dragon's gaze, eyes going wide as Atem shifted his attention to the poet. The dragon relaxed on when Yugi straightened up, suddenly looking more alert. "Ryou?"

"Yugi?" Ryou raced up to the dragon's leg, leaning on the dragon as he stared up at the prince. "What are you doing here? We watched you die."

"I was saved." Yugi grimaced, rubbing at his chest with one hand before shrugging. "Atem saved me."

"And you've been here the entire time." They both tensed as Bakura wandered over, crossing his arms in over his chest. "You never once thought about going back and helping the people you are responsible for? You just decided to stay here because it was easier. Here I bet you are treated like royalty."

"That's not it." Yugi spoke softly, looking down at his hands.

"So, what is your excuse, my prince?" Bakura gave a mocking bow. "You thought because one rebellion failed that there would be no other? That the people would just give up and let Gozaburo lead them?"

"That's not it!" Yugi was standing up now, purple eyes narrowed in anger. Ryou looked over at Atem, shocked to find the dragon staring at Bakura as well, flickers of flame seen in his mouth. The prince jumped off of Atem's foreleg and strode up to the thief. "They never wanted me in the first place! They would have rather had Seto or Gozaburo over me because of what I look like and what they thought of my mother. They would have begged for someone stronger to take the throne in the end because I was useless. Believe me when I say that I _want_ to help them, but they don't want my help. I'm just the son of the witch who ruled over them for too long."

"My prince." Yugi turned abruptly, Serenity flinching back at the motion. She held out a hand for Joey to stop, calming her brother with a smile before taking another step forward. "Maybe we once thought that, but I can see that you would be better than our current king. Please, we need your help now. Will you let us die because of an old grudge?"

Yugi sighed, all the anger draining out of him as he slumped. Ryou jumped out of the way as Atem moved to catch the prince, allowing the human to lean against him. The poet circled around the dragon, surprised to see Yugi's chin resting against his chest as he seemed to think over something. The prince gave a slow shake of his head, looking up to meet Serenity's gaze before shutting his eyes. At the sign of surrender, Duke turned to the small group and began talking.

"Gozaburo has done something to his knights. One attacked our village just about a week ago." Duke glanced over at Yugi as the prince stood straighter. "He's gotten an immortal man on his team and a dragon too."

Ryou jumped as Yugi gasped, pushing away from Atem. The dragon gave a surprised growl, his red eyes suddenly narrowing. The two stared at Duke until the peasant flinched, looking down at the ground rather than meeting the eyes of the dragon and the prince. Everyone but Yugi jumped as Atem gave a short snarl, the sound cut off as he snapped his jaw shut. The dragon seemed to debate over something before speaking. "So that's where Rex ran off to. He dragged innocents into this because he wants me to…" He scoffed, turning his gaze north for a moment.

"It gets worse." Duke was looking over at Joey, walking over to grip the blonde's shoulders. "If Gozaburo is sure that he can get away with such attacks, he'll go after Tèa next. Everything will fall apart if he kills her and the baby."

"Baby?" Yugi swayed on his feet, staring at Duke in awe. Ryou saw the prince's fingers twitch as he seemed to count something off before stumbling backwards. Atem quickly lowered his head and caught Yugi, giving a soft rumble of confusion as the prince clung to the dragon's head, eyes staring at Duke in fear. The prince licked his lips before taking a shaky breath. "What do you mean?"

"Tèa was pregnant when he had to send her away so Gozaburo wouldn't kill her child. It is-"

"Mine." Yugi nodded, cutting Duke off before he could finish. A dazed look crossed his as he sank to the ground, Atem giving a worried whine and curling around him, frantically nudging the prince to get any response.

"It should be born right now. A couple of weeks old if everything went well." The poet stared at Duke as he continued talking, the black haired man now pacing. Joey and Serenity were listening intently as they began to come up with a plan. "The rest of the kingdom won't stand for any more dragon attacks, and they'll be abandoning the villages. Now would be the time to strike. We'll return home and send a few to find Tèa and protect her. As soon as the rebellion is over, we'll bring her and her child down and install them on the throne."

The three began to walk off to where Duke had left his horse, too embroiled in their own plans to notice the effect that their words had on Yugi. Ryou was about to pull away and kneel by the prince when Bakura caught him around the waist, pulling the poet into a hug as he addressed Marik. "They've got the right idea."

"Then why don't you go after them." Atem turned to glare at the thief, stopping his attempts to shake Yugi from his thoughts.

"Because their plan also has one major flaw. They'll aim for the knights when they need to aim for the dragons." Bakura calmly rested his head on Ryou's shoulder. "They would never trust a dragon enough to help them, considering that they barely acknowledged either of your presences. Joey only tolerates them because they helped heal his sister."

"Then we'll go after the dragons." They all turned to stare at Yugi, watching as the prince stood up. Atem dropped his head to rest it against Yugi's back, the prince resting a hand on the dragon before taking a step forward.

"Yugi…"

The prince held up a hand, silencing the dragon for a moment. "We're their only hope. We can attack those dragons and slay the one that keep Gozaburo alive and they can do whatever they want in the end. They never wanted me as a king and I am fine with that."

Yugi crossed his arms, glaring at Bakura like he expected the thief to argue. Ryou noticed that his lover was opening his mouth to talk when Atem gave a slow nod, lowering his head so it hovered above Yugi's shoulder. The prince reached for the dragon now, absently rubbing up and down Atem's muzzle as they both stared resolutely at the thief. Finally, under the combination of the two of them, Bakura backed down with a simple shrug. "I'll help anyway I can."

Marik quickly gave his support, excusing himself to go hunt. Bakura watched the dragon fly off with an annoyed click of his tongue before looking back at Yugi. "I suppose this means that we're going back north."

"Yes." Bakura stomped off at the answer, leaving Ryou behind. The poet quickly scampered away, unable to stand the combined glare of Yugi and Atem. While it would be a good visualization for his epic, the look was hard to stand up to in real life. There was no question in Ryou's mind that Yugi would be able to accomplish what he had promised. He was beginning to think that the prince was invincible. His hand twitched by his side at the urge to write before that determined look faded in his memory, but the poet shook his head.

He would help Bakura pack before he immortalized the two forever. It would be more important that they were ready to go in the end. And, it gave him some leeway to play with rhymes before he wasted his precious supply of paper.

* * *

Yugi pushed the flap of the tent aside, setting down his armload outside before ducking back in. His hand hovered over his empty scabbard, pulling back from the object at the last minute. With a sigh, he simply took the hunting knife that he had acquired before walking back outside, staring at the small pile of stuff he had managed to accumulate during his time among his mother's people. A quiet whimper made him look up as Atem stepped out from the darkness, the dragon lying down on the ground to watch him. Yugi tried to offer him a smile, but failed at the hurt that was in the dragon's eyes.

"I have no choice, Atem."

"I know."

"Then why are you looking at me like that?" The dragon looked startled at his outburst, almost as surprised as Yugi himself. The prince ran a hand through his hair and sighed, dropping to the ground and viciously folding his blanket and violently shoving his clothes into his pack. His packing slowed as he heard Atem sigh, looking up at the dragon as he winced.

Atem was staring at him intently, like he was trying to memorize everything about him. Worried, Yugi stood up and walked over to Atem, resting at hand on the end of his muzzle. The dragon gave a soft chuckle before shaking his head. "I'm afraid that I'll lose you."

Yugi smiled and gently tapped the dragon's muzzle. "You won't lose me. We're aiming for the dragons, remember? They won't be able to touch you."

He turned away to continue packing, the motion stopping as Atem whispered, "Not like that." Yugi looked up at Atem, tipping his head to the side as he waited for the dragon to explain. The black and red dragon looked away, his voice still a low whisper. "I know you, Yugi. You're often too kind for your own good. And you feel guilty for that girl, I know you do. It's what I admire about you, lo-Yugi."

"Then-"

"Because she's right. She's a human. A woman." Atem turned his head so one crimson eye flashed in the dim light. "I'm a dragon. There's nothing right about us."

"But…your heart…"

"I still feel the same way about you, Yugi. But, I know you. You'll want to raise your child, as you should, and that girl probably won't let you keep a dragon around."

"I…" Yugi pulled the hand that had started to reach out back to his chest, staring at his palm. What Atem had said was true, it was part of the reason he was so jumpy now. He was seriously considering marrying the girl, not because he loved her, but because she was the mother of his child. It was something that was expected of him as a prince. But he didn't want to give up Atem. The dragon was his best friend and his lover. The girl wasn't worth giving up the perfection that he had found here.

Then again, wasn't that another thing that was bothering him? The simple fact that he had allowed himself to get caught up in the miniature paradise that he had discovered here instead of returning to his kingdom? Mahad was right when he had said that the peasants needed Yugi, if only for a figurehead. It was his duty, the duty that he had been trained for his entire life. And he had once been resigned to the fact that he would have to give up all he loved for the good of the kingdom. It's what a king did.

But, he wasn't going to let that happen. Not in this case.

"I'm not going to let you go, Atem." The dragon stared at him in awe as he walked over, wrapping his arms around Atem's muzzle and pulling him close. "I don't want to let you go. You're my friend, my heart. Please, don't make me choose."

Atem nodded, waiting until Yugi had pulled away before speaking. "Alright, Yugi."

The dragon pressed his head against Yugi's side in his version of a hug, allowing Yugi to continue packing. The prince turned around, walking backwards to keep watching Atem. There was something else, something he wasn't telling Yugi. He sat down, resting his arms on his knees. He tipped his head to the side. "There's something else."

He got a sad nod from Atem, the dragon closing his eyes as he rested his chin on his forelegs. Not wanting to push for any more information, Yugi went back to his packing, fingers twitching when he reached the end of his task. He pushed the pack to the side, going back to staring at Atem. The dragon quickly noticed and attempted to smile, the expression faltering as he drifted back into his thoughts. Yugi let the dragon stew for a moment longer before returning to Atem's side, running his fingers over the dragon's scales. "You can tell me."

Atem glanced at him before sighing, stretching out the wing closest to Yugi. The prince walked into the offered shelter, settling down by Atem's side. He watched as Atem tucked his head under the wing, eyes roving everywhere but to Yugi. This was a bad sign. Atem only talked to him like this when it was very important, or the dragon didn't want to chance someone else hearing them. Yugi shook his head and patted his lap, inviting Atem closer. The dragon hesitated for a moment before resting his muzzle in Yugi's lap. Atem sighed, eyes falling closed as Yugi reached for the spot over his eye.

"I'm scared, Yugi."

"You're not going to lose me."

"Not that." Atem opened one eye, meeting Yugi's gaze. "If we go up there and fight, I might…we might…" He shuddered, pressing close to Yugi. "I've been running from it for so long, Yugi, even before I knew what it meant. But…I don't want to..."

"Atem?" Yugi gasped as he felt the brush of magic against him, eyes widening as Atem pulled him from the ground before the change was even complete. He was pulled into his grandfather's tent, barely having time to protest before Atem was kissing him, holding him close. Yugi struggled briefly, gasping for breath when Atem pulled back.

"Please," Atem rested his forehead against Yugi's, "please, just let me…"

Yugi rested a hand on Atem's cheek, the former dragon leaning into the caress. The prince bit his bottom lip, pulling Atem into a hug as the man began to tremble. He pulled them both to the ground, kissing Atem's face as he struggled to control himself. Yugi had never seen Atem this close to breaking; usually he was in perfect control of his emotions at all times. The prince sighed and buried his face in Atem's hair, taking a deep breath as he began to rub the former dragon's back. "It will be alright. You and me, we can do anything."

Atem looked up at him, slowly shaking his head as he allowed Yugi to keep holding him close. The prince watched as Atem curled up in his arms, the former dragon looking very vulnerable. "What do you need me to do, Atem?"

"Hold me." Atem nuzzled Yugi chest, the whimpered words surprising the prince. "Hold me and never let go. Please."

Shocked, Yugi complied with Atem's request, watching as the former dragon slipped into a restless sleep. The prince kept running his hands over Atem's back, stopping when he heard him whimper and felt the former dragon curl closer to him. Yugi sighed, shifting so they were both lying on the ground, Atem wiggling until there was no space left between them, one hand grabbing onto Yugi's shirt above his heart. Yugi frowned at the former dragon, wishing that Atem could just tell him what he feared so much. He closed his eyes, moving one hand to rest over the one Atem had on his shirt. "I'm not going anywhere, Atem. I'll be right here forever."

Yugi thought that Atem was asleep. He was about to follow his lover into the land of dreams when he felt Atem shift. The prince remained still as he felt the former dragon place a careful kiss on his forehead, like he was afraid that Yugi would disappear. Yugi sucked in a deep breath as Atem whispered, "It's not you that I'm worried about."

The prince was shoving Atem to the ground the next minute, staring down into the surprised crimson eyes. "Don't you dare."

"Yugi…" The prince wasn't sure what he saw in Atem's eyes as the former dragon stared at him. Finally, Atem gave a nod, reaching up to pull Yugi against him, muttering against his lips, "Never. I'm yours forever."

* * *

_Read and review please. Criticism is always welcome._


	13. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do own bits of the plot and an OC.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do own bits of the plot and an OC.

**Warning:** Awkward lemon-ish scene. You'll understand when you hit it.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Revelations**

**   
_Victory, with the Morningstar flies,  
Bringing the tyrant closer to his demise._   
**

The two dragons turned their heads to look back at the knights, their eyes dull as they waited for the orders from their masters. One flinched as Crump glared at him, quickly looking away. Aside from the one glance, the two humans ignored the dragons that were crouched on the ground, preferring to speak to each other. Crump held two edges of a map, watching as Gansley pointed out the two villages that they were called on to strike; one in their own kingdom and the other in the kingdom to the north, some way into the territory. Crump narrowed his eyes as he calculated the distance it would take to travel by dragon before giving a slow nod. "I'll go up north, seeing as you are more inclined to remain here."

Gansley leaned back at his words, tapping his fingers on the map. "Fine. After all, it would be more prudent to have one of us remain near the boarder in case they attempt to escape. If only Gozaburo had sent more of us."

"Our king has his reasons." Crump let go of his edges as Gansley began rolling up the map, stowing it away before walking over to his dragon, the blue serpent-like creature lowering itself closer to the ground to allow its master to climb onto its back. The older knight grunted at the effort it cost him to scramble up onto the dragon, carelessly swinging the pack that he had over his shoulder to the slip of leather that served as a saddle. The dragon grunted as the pack knocked against its side, which the knight didn't notice. He pulled on the long reins that lead to the head of the dragon, yanking his bonded dragon away before giving it a sharp jab with the spurs that the knight wore on his boots.

"I'll start my fun then. Enjoy your flight, Crump." The shorter knight grumbled at the send off, clambering onto his own dragon, sneering at the crystals that grew from the dragon's legs before hauling himself aboard. The dragon went through equally rough treatment before being kicked off in the direction of the north, slowly gaining the altitude that its master desired.

On his own dragon, Gansley circled over their camping area before turning his head, sending his dragon down the boarder line, keeping alert for the village. He spotted it through a break in the forest, yanking the head of his dragon down and giving it a firm tap on the neck, the signal for flame. He felt the creature whimper before obeying the order, blue tinted flames pouring from its mouth and onto the roofs below. The knight smiled as the villagers ran from their houses, panicking as they pointed up at the sky. He was too busy in his accomplishment to notice the black object speeding in from the south.

* * *

Ryou shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun, his mouth falling open as he watched Atem move across the sky, amazed that a dragon could obtain such speed. He got a better hold on the tree he was on, being told to keep on the look out for any reinforcements. The poet glanced down for a moment, able to spot Bakura as the thief dodged through the people, shouting and gesturing for them to run to the forest. Yugi had insisted that Atem trying and entice the dragon and knight away from the village, but it was an equally good idea to remove the people from the area if Atem failed. Ryou looked down at his feet, smiling as he saw Marik tipping his head to the side, a smile on the pale gold dragon's face. "He's making good time, surprising for on in his shape."

"What do you mean?"

Marik's tail thrashed in the undergrowth, crouching slightly as he readied for Atem's impact with the other dragon. "He's not exactly in top shape. He's barely got enough fat to last for the thin times. But that's Atem."

Ryou looked up a surprised roar, ducking to see around a branch. He saw the last moment of the impact, Atem digging his claws into the dragon before pushing off, causing the blue dragon to plummet a few feet before it caught itself. Atem steadied himself, pulling into a hover as he watched the dragon below him, flames flickering inside his open mouth. The knight and dragon took a single look at the villagers below before the dragon was pulled into a dive. Ryou squeaked as Atem followed, wings clamped to his sides as he followed after.

The poet tore his gaze from the two dragons in the sky as Marik gave a shocked trill. He nearly fell out of his tree at the same time, watching as Yugi rushed into the village, the people stopping to stare at the man that they thought was dead. Yugi ignored them, staring up at the dragons. Ryou glanced up at the dragons, mouth dropping open as the blue dragon jerked in flight, suddenly leveling out. He saw the glint of the sun off a sword as the knight leaned over the dragon, the tip of the weapon aimed for Yugi. Then, Ryou was scrambling for the base of the tree, waving his hand to send off Marik to the rescue. He stopped his frantic movements as Yugi lifted an arm into the air, his hand in a fist like he was calling a hawk back.

In the air, Atem rolled over, putting him on the other side of the blue dragon before the black and red dragon's wings dropped back to his sides, sending Atem dropping past the blue dragon towards the prince. Atem snapped open his wings, skimming just over the ground with one hand lowering as he got closer to Yugi. Ryou thought he saw a smile on Yugi's face as the prince grabbed onto the offered limb, hanging onto a claw as the dragon moved past. Atem flapped his wings, gaining altitude as the blue dragon came out of its dive.

The black and red dragon turned around so he was facing the blue dragon, lifting his hand so that Yugi could clamber onto his back. Ryou breathed a sigh of relief as the move was completed, leaning back against the bark with a hand over his heart. He had thought that would have ended in disaster, with Yugi being captured or Atem crashing to the ground. Stirring from his recumbent position, Ryou once again kneeled on the branch and peered up at the sky, ready to alert Marik of any other dragons. And, once again, he found himself being drawn to the two dragons that were already in the sky.

Atem had pulled out of his hover, rising rapidly to keep out of the way of the knight and his dragon, Yugi clinging to his back. The black and red dragon quickly ducked to one side as another bout of blue flame was aimed at him, twisting easily in the air before resuming his steady rise. Ryou leaned out as far as he dared, wondering why Atem didn't attack. He shook his head and glanced back down a the village, watching as Bakura dashed from house to house, rushing the few people left into the woods.

The thief waved at Ryou as he passed, a cheeky smile on his face as he jumped onto the tree and easily scrambled up the trunk, situating himself on a branch close by his lover. "I deserve a reward for that."

"Are you going to demand one every time we do this?"

"Yes." Bakura sat back with his arms folding across his chest and a smug look on his face.

Ryou rolled his eyes and returned to staring up at the two dragons. He saw Atem glanced down at the village once before stopping his upward movement, stretching his wings to their fullest before letting out a roar. The poet shrieked and jumped back, noticing that Bakura had jumped at the sound as well. He looked down at the sound of laughter, reaching down to whack Marik over the head. The pale dragon easily shook off the rebuke, lavender eyes shining dangerously. "They're in for it now."

The poet looked up in time to see Atem dive again. Panicking, the blue dragon let out another stream of fire. Calmly, Atem let his own flames loose, the darker fire easily cutting through the blue fire. The blue dragon turned away, diving for the ground despite the frantic movements of the knight on his back. Atem followed, drawing close to the dragon and eventually racing side-by-side with the blue dragon. Ryou watched in confusion as Atem tipped his head to the side, apparently listening to the blue dragon before giving a slow nod.

Atem's tail lashed out, the force behind it, sending Atem spinning but the black and red dragon caught himself. The blue dragon, however, lost control and slammed into the ground, giving a weak cry of pain before Atem landed on the ground. The black and red dragon considered his enemy for a moment before lowering himself to the ground to let Yugi off his back. Atem shot the human a stern look, the only visible sign that something had not gone according to plan before storming over the struggling dragon.

The two exchanged some more words in a hushed tone, the distance to great for Ryou to hear what they were saying. He poked Marik for an explanation, but the dragon merely bowed his head. The poet glanced up in time to see Atem roll the blue dragon onto its back before plunging his claws into his chest. The blue dragon writhed on the ground for a moment before going still. Atem stepped away from the body, Yugi running up to lay a hand on Atem's leg as they stood watch over the dead dragon.

"It's done." Ryou jumped at the solemn voice, surprised to hear it coming from Bakura. The thief quickly slipped down the tree, stopping to pat Marik's shoulder before gesturing for Ryou to come down. "Come on. Don't you want to scribble about this?"

The poet gave a slow nod before following his lover, glancing at Marik before he allowed Bakura to lead him toward where the villagers had run to. They would stay here until Atem returned. The black and red dragon and Yugi were the ones setting the pace in this venture.

Ryou felt a smile cross his face as he stepped into the place where the villagers had gone, waving at a few small children before being pulled away by Bakura. The poet was dragged through the main group of people towards the other side of the group, where Bakura pushed him down. The thief sat down next to him, stretching his arms over his head before sitting back. "And now we wait."

"But what about the people? What should we tell them?"

Bakura opened one eye. "They'll do our job for us. A few will talk about how the prince has come back from the dead with a dragon to help save them. They'll gather together and, by the time Joey and Duke get up here, there will be a willing army at their command." The thief sat up abruptly, motioning a teenager over. The teen hesitated before ambling over, looking surprised. Bakura, however, didn't seem to notice as he pointed toward the north. "Cross into the next kingdom and find the first village you can. Spread the word on that Gozaburo is going to attack villages with dragons. Try and get it to the girl who has the prince's child. She's probably one of his victims."

The teenager went wide eyed before he nodded and took off at a run, leaving Bakura to settle back on the ground with a long sigh. Ryou stared at his lover before leaning back on his hands, watching the sun filter through the branches, looking for the first signs of leaves. "Do you think he'll be in time?"

The thief snorted, keeping his eyes shut. "It's about an hour to the boarder and there is bound to be a village close by. The kid will be fine."

"No. For the girl."

Bakura shrugged. "Word spreads fast. The people will probably be gone when that dragon gets there. And we'll be right after the dragon. Nothing can stop Yugi and Atem when they are on a mission. Soon, this will all be over and you can go back to annoying me with your scribbling."

Ryou chuckled at Bakura's term for his composing. He shifted so he could use Bakura as a pillow before he stretched out on the ground with a sigh of relief. "I like the sound of that. Atem and Marik will go back down south and Yugi will settle down on his throne with that girl and the child. Everything will go back to normal." The poet chuckled and looked up at Bakura. "I never thought I would say that."

He didn't expect the sullen look that came over Bakura's face, the thief's russet eyes snapping open to stare at the branches above them. Ryou frowned and rolled over onto his stomach, gently prodding at Bakura's side. The thief pushed his hand away after a moment. "Yugi isn't going to leave the dragon."

"But…" Ryou sat up, flailing as he tried to digest this new information. "He's the prince, the rightful king! It's his duty to sit on the throne, to take care of his people…to produce heirs! He shouldn't be spending the rest of his life with some _dragon_! That's not how these things go!"

"He won't leave Atem for the same reason I stay with you." The mention of his relationship with the thief silenced the poet, Ryou dropping his hands into his lap and looking shyly at Bakura. The thief nodded before closing his eyes again. "I _should_ be somewhere else, robbing nobles blind and living off what I can get. Instead, I'm following you around. I _should _be doing many things, but I'm not, because I'm with you. And I don't regret any of it." The thief tapped a finger against his head before revising his statement. "I don't regret most of it.

"Ryou, you and I," Bakura motioned at the two of them, "are not how these things go. But we still seem to survive. Sometimes these things don't go like they are supposed to."

The silence marked the end of the conversation. Ryou plucked at his sleeve as the thief settled down to wait for the dragons, leaving him on watch. The poet sighed, drawing up his knees and resting his chin on them. Bakura was always doing this to him, challenging his idea on how the world should work. To his mind, everything was clear. It always happened this way, not because it was right, but because it was the best for everyone. What kind of hero didn't give up everything they loved in the end?

But, it wouldn't be fair to Yugi. Ryou glared at the ground at the thought, daring the little part of his mind that voiced that thought to speak again. It wouldn't be fair to Yugi because the prince was happy now, happier than any other time Ryou had seen him. Yugi would have to give up the one thing that gave him that happiness and Ryou would get to keep his.

It was part of being royalty. But it didn't make it right.

He sighed and dropped his head so his forehead banged against his knees, drawing a wince out of the poet. Why couldn't the world work like the tales? Then everything would be so much easier. A person could stay with the love of their life and rule the kingdom that was their by birthright. He groaned at the thought, resisting the urge to beat his head against his knees, knowing that Bakura would demand to know what was causing his mental anguish, and then laugh at him for his naivety.

Muffled screams made the poet look up suddenly, turning his head to smile at Marik as the dragon circled anxiously above, too large to get through the trees. Ryou nudged Bakura and raced to the nearest tree, clambering up awkwardly and reaching up for the dragon. Marik snorted and lowered a hand, Ryou clinging to one claw as the dragon lifted him to his back, repeating the process for Bakura. The pale gold dragon turned north, Atem already hovering in the distance. "You should have brought that mule so I wouldn't have to haul you two around."

Ryou chuckled at the mock annoyance that the dragon showed. "You said that as long as we were all going the same way, you could spare the affront to your dignity."

"I could once." Marik snapped as he pulled out of his circling; now flying towards Atem. "But that was a one time thing. I am not a pack animal."

"How long will it take for us to get to the next dragon?" Bakura cut into their bickering, leaning out from behind Ryou to stare off toward the horizon, russet eyes squinting as he tried to figure out the distance himself.

"Considering that he has a good head start and knows where the village is? Probably tomorrow. I have a feeling that the knight won't trust his dragon in the dark, so will probably wait. Besides, simultaneous attacks won't have the same effect with the spacing. Your king needs the word to spread."

"He's not our king." Bakura snapped out the words, making the dragon shrug. The motion pitched them from side to side. The dragon appeared not to notice, too busy catching up to Atem. Bakura gave a series of curses as they were righted, muttering something about 'dragons' before resting his chin on Ryou's shoulder. Sneakily, Ryou reached one hand to where Bakura had wrapped his arms around the poet's waist and quickly entwined their fingers before Bakura could pull away. He flashed a smile over his shoulder at the thief before settling in to enjoy the flight.

* * *

Yugi pressed himself close to Atem as the dragon tipped himself vertically, trying to land in the dense forest below them. He felt the muscles of the dragon strain as Atem fought gravity to bring them down gently. Yugi shivered as he felt branches brush against his back, trying to press even closer to the dragon. There was a grunt from Atem before Yugi felt the dragon fall forward, all four legs on the ground. The prince sat up, yelping as he hit his head against a branch. He winced and rubbed the back of his head, looking down at Atem as the dragon carefully shook his own head, feeling guilty that his carelessness had caused the dragon pain.

Carefully, Yugi slid from Atem's back, smiling as the dragon turned to look back at him, stretching out a foreleg to allow Yugi an easier slide to the ground. They both looked up at the sound of snapping branches and curses, the sounds marking the arrival of Marik somewhere else in the forest. Atem straightened up, easily moving through the cramped space and craning his head to see where the others were. Yugi followed him closely, stopping when Atem reared up onto his hind legs to see through the branches. "How close are we?"

Atem tipped his head before taking a deep breath, releasing it as he came back to all fours. "Pretty close. There will be a few minutes delay getting there, but it's the best we can do without getting caught."

"And how close is the other dragon?"

The question got a smile out of Atem. "We passed him when night fell. Apparently, the human doesn't trust his bonded dragon. We'll be ready when he tries to attack in the morning. It won't be like the last one."

"At least we got there in time." Yugi sat down on the ground, pulling his knees up close to his chest and staring off in the direction of his kingdom. It scared him that the other dragon had managed to get there before they had. If Atem hadn't headed off on his own, leaving him to run and the others to take care of themselves, then it would have been a lot worse. He didn't even know if the villagers had gotten out safely, but he was willing to trust the thief with his job. The prince sighed and rested his forehead against his knees, turning his head as Atem gave a questioning trill. He waved the dragon off. "I'm just tired."

Atem nodded, sprawling in what little space they had with a long sigh. Yugi watched as the dragon made small adjustments to his position, frowning as he watched them. His head resting on a partially fallen trunk with a foreleg close to the exposed roots, the other foreleg at an odd angle to avoid a tree. His body twisted oddly to take advantage of a large enough space to accommodate his wings, which made him have to curl one hind leg close to his stomach and the other stretched out against a tree. His tail was woven through a small stand of closely grown trees, almost folding back on itself. Atem rolled one eye to look at Yugi, tipping his head slightly to the side at the expression that he saw on the prince's face.

Yugi got up from his place on the ground, scrambling up the trunk of the dead tree to sit next to Atem. He ran his hand over the dragon's head, sighing when Atem simply closed his eyes under the attention. He leaned over to gently kiss Atem, the dragon's eyes opening quickly at the sign of affection. Yugi blushed as he remembered that he barely kissed Atem as a dragon. Still fighting his blush, Yugi repeated the action before smoothing a hand down Atem's cheek. "I'm sorry for making you do that."

"Don't apologize. It wasn't your fault." Atem shifted, the dead tree creaking dangerously as he moved his head so it was closer to Yugi. The prince smiled and rested his forehead against the dragon, loving the warmth of Atem. He shivered as the dragon sighed, shifting closer to the dragon with an embarrassed chuckle. Apparently, Atem hadn't noticed because he went on after a short pause. "I just never thought…and he begged for it in the end, which makes it alright. I guess."

Yugi shiver again, remembering how the blue dragon had pleaded for death. He pressed himself closer to Atem, trying to get the frantic voice of the dragon out of his head.

"_Morningstar, please. I don't want this anymore. Please, just kill me now before my soul is damned even more! I don't want to be forgotten!"_

"Atem," Yugi heard the dragon hum in response, "what did the dragon mean about his soul being damned?"

"Dragons believe that they must earn their place in heaven…in the stars." Atem tipped his head back, eyes searching the sky before nodding toward a particular constellation. "There."

Yugi leaned back himself, easily finding the configuration of stars. He pondered the shape before gasping in surprise. "The dragon…"

"Yes." Atem nodded. "And if we don't prove ourselves worthy, we don't get rest."

"What happens?"

Atem shrugged. "We fade away; forgotten."

"But, that won't happen to you!" Yugi panicked, clinging to his dragon. "You're the Morningstar! That must count for something!"

Atem blinked at him, hesitating before responding. "It may happen even to me."

Yugi pressed his hand against his heart, eyes widening as he felt the calm beat underneath his palm. If that other dragon had been afraid of being damned, wasn't Atem in the same danger? He had given his heart to a human, albeit freely. The prince looked up from his hand, jumping when he found that Atem was staring at him. Yugi tried to speak, unable to in the end and just settling for shaking his head slowly. He hadn't wanted this. For all the joy he had felt over the past months with Atem, he didn't want Atem to be lost after he died.

"Yugi." Atem nudged his leg, drawing him back to the present. The dragon gave an awkward smile before hissing as he shifted his awkward position. "It might happen; it's not definite. And it wouldn't be because I gave my heart to you."

The prince calmed himself, giving a faint whimper as he rested his head back against the dragon. Atem tried to gather the prince closer, growling when he position on the ground wouldn't allow him to. With a snort of disgust, Atem drew magic from the ground and shifted forms. Yugi sat up at the first brush of magic, tilting his head to the side as Atem shrunk, emerging from the black tendrils as a human on the forest floor. The former dragon shook out his limbs, peeking over his shoulder to give Yugi a smile.

Yugi gasped, his heart beginning to pound in double time as he watched his lover. Atem noticed his look and motioned him down, taking a seat on the forest floor before lying back, exposing himself totally to Yugi's gaze. The prince bit down on his bottom lip, catching a moan before it could escape.

Damn that dragon! He always knew how to get him riled up, and he shamelessly used it to his advantage; like now. Part of him wanted to ignore Atem, although he knew that he would end up down there with the dragon anyway, even if it was just harmless cuddling. But another part of him preyed to the gods that Atem would never stop having this affect on him.

The prince quickly moved from his place on the dead tree, jumping onto Atem as soon as he was close enough. The dragon laughed as he caught Yugi, rolling over so he was pressing the prince to the ground. "Good try, my heart. But not good enough."

"You should be exhausted after flying all day." Yugi whined, raising an eyebrow to show that he was saying things in jest. "Why can't you let me get you just once?"

"That would hurt my pride as a dragon, love." The endearment was spoken as Atem nuzzled his neck, pulling back to kiss the tip of Yugi's nose in passing. "And I couldn't possibly do that."

"Oh no. We can't have that." Yugi laughed as he pressed one hand to Atem's chest, pushing slightly to show that he wanted to get up. Atem sighed and let him up, still holding him close. Yugi snuggled closer to Atem's warmth, wondering how the dragon stood the chill that was still in the air. He rested his head on Atem's shoulder, looking into the dragon's red eyes from that vantage point. "Are you really tired from flying?"

"Just a bit." Atem shrugged, the move jostling Yugi. The former dragon gave an apologetic smile for the action, to which Yugi replied with a roll of his eyes before he spun Atem around so he could reach his back. He rested his hands on Atem's shoulders, staring at the tanned back in front of him. Briefly, his fingers tightened as he felt a bolt of lust pass through him at the sight. The prince forced himself to focus before beginning to massage the man's shoulders. Atem gave a grunt of surprise and tipped his head to the side. Yugi slowed his kneading motions, shifting as he tried to see Atem's face. "Does it hurt?"

"Yes." Yugi was about to take his hands away when Atem leaned back, resting his head on Yugi's shoulder, red eyes wide and pleading. "Don't stop."

The breathy quality of the man's voice made Yugi shiver, tipping his head back as Atem nuzzled his neck, allowing the other full access. He felt Atem smile against his skin, shivering again at the warm breath that ghosted across his neck. He knew that he had just put himself at Atem's mercy, but found that he didn't care. One of his hands slipped from Atem's shoulder to stroke over the former dragon's arm. He whimpered and pressed himself closer to his lover, needing to feel his warmth. He clung more tightly as Atem shifted backwards, moving so he was nearly in Yugi's lap, still lavishing attention on Yugi's neck. "Please, my heart, never stop."

Yugi was sure that they were no longer talking about his feeble attempt at a massage. He pushed Atem back upright with a groan, hearing a similar sound issuing from the former dragon. He forced his hands back to Atem's shoulders and resumed the kneading motions. Atem moaned and slumped forward, arching his back to press more of his skin into Yugi's touch. The human smirked and leaned forward to press a kiss to Atem's shoulder; slowly beginning to move his hands down Atem's back. The former dragon gave a soft whine, earning a chuckle from the prince. "You like that?"

"Yes. Yugi, please, lower."

The prince complied, his self control rapidly crumbling as Atem continued to respond to the treatment. Yugi abruptly stopped his motions and rested his forehead against Atem, wrapping an arm around Atem's chest to keep him from moving. "You're teasing me."

"Me?" Yugi looked up to see a mischievous glint in Atem's eyes. "Never."

Yugi scoffed and held Atem closer, shuddering at the contact. "Liar."

Atem chuckled. "Well, I never intend to, but you respond so well. And the results…"

What little control Yugi had snapped. One hand turned Atem's head so he could kiss the former dragon, tongue delving into the other's mouth as his other hand began to run down the former dragon's chest, playing with a nipple before moving down to his side. All too soon, Atem was writhing in his embrace, breathing heavily with the stimulation. He gave a whine as Yugi began to brush his fingers lightly across the former dragon's hip, pulling away from the kiss and panting for breath. Yugi gave Atem's neck a loving nip before pulling away, quickly shedding his own clothes and pouncing on Atem as soon as the annoying clothing was out of his way. He pressed himself against Atem, moaning when his lover's hand closed around his erection, giving the hardened flesh a firm stroke.

"You're just trying to make me lose it." Yugi gasped as Atem chuckled, the hand around his member giving a squeeze.

"I never see this side of you." Atem turned his hand to demand another kiss, leaning his head back on the prince's shoulder as Yugi bucked into the hand that was stroking his member. He heard the dragon laugh, head turning so he could whisper into his ear. "And, frankly, I love it."

Yugi gave another moan, his breath catching halfway through the sound at Atem's chuckle. The former dragon gave his neck a playful nip before going back to whispering in Yugi's ear. "You're in charge this time. How do you want me?"

The prince flushed at the words, whimpering as Atem sat back up, all contact with the warm body disappearing with that movement. Yugi shot forward, wrapping his hands around Atem's stomach and pulling him back, earning a short laugh from the dragon that quickly turned into a moan as Yugi rubbed himself against Atem's backside. The former dragon turned his head, Yugi taking the moment to pull him into a kiss, arms tightening briefly around Atem's stomach before relaxing. He pulled back only when he needed air. Yugi gasped for breath, smiling faintly at the sounds of his lover panting.

He nuzzled Atem's neck, enjoying the soft keen that came from the former dragon at the motion. One of his hands began to trail down Atem's thigh, giving a breathy chuckle as the former dragon writhed, trying to bring Yugi attention to another part of his body. Yugi pressed a kiss to Atem's neck in apology. "Like this. Just like this."

Atem had no argument.

* * *

Mahad vaulted from his horse and ran for Tèa's small house, nearly running into Tristan as the brunette stepped out of the entryway. The two men blinked at each other before they both blurted out "Is it true?" at the same time.

The knight took a step back nodding as he worked under the assumption that Tristan was talking about the same thing he was. "I saw the dragons myself, in the distance." He withheld the fact that he had recognized the coloration of one of them. There was no mistaking the red tints to the otherwise black dragon. It had returned after a year, daring to show its face where Mahad lived. What did the dragon want from the knight? There was no way for that trust to be gained back. "But I'll take care of them. They are on my father's land."

His stern expression faltered as he looked at Tristan, the peasant obviously having no idea what Mahad was talking about. The knight took a step back as Tristan thought over the news, glancing back into the shack with worry. They were all in danger if there were dragons in the area, especially with the creatures fleeing from those that hunted them. It would be best if Tèa and the child stayed in the village.

Mahad's train of thought trailed off as Tristan stared at the ground, expecting another reaction to his news. The man just shrugged before looking up at the knight. "I thought that you would have been the first to know."

"Know what?"

"A kid came from the next village over, spreading the news that he said came over the boarder from a kid over there. He said that this news came from a respected source, a white haired man who was there when this happened."

Mahad stared at Tristan, his mouth dropping open. A white haired man? That was either Bakura or Ryou, which meant that this news had to be trustworthy. The two were the closest things he had to allies he had in this world, especially without the support of the royal family. Even after abandoning them, Mahad was sure that they would side with him in the end. He tried to urge Tristan on with his eyes, his voice not working anymore. He was confused as Tristan refused to speak for a while before sighing.

"They said to spread the news that Gozaburo has dragons fighting on his side and that they will attack villages. Apparently, the original message came from a village that had been attacked." Tristan looked at Mahad before turning his head to look at the entryway to the shack, shifting so he was out of the direct line of sight. "They say that they saw Yugi."

"What?"

"Yugi was there, and he commanded a dragon to defend them." Tristan gave a shrug at the end, obviously having reached the end of his news. "I just want to know if it is true before I tell Tèa. It might kill her if hope is stolen away again."

Mahad stumbled back a step, his mind rushing as he tried to process the information. The dragon that Yugi insisted they save appears; flying in the wake of rumors that Yugi was still alive. That creature would have never left Yugi alone, no matter what. It proved a better protector for the prince at the last minute. And Yugi had been reported to command a dragon. It had to be the same one. There were too many coincidences for this not to be true.

Which meant that Yugi was still alive.

The knight turned and ran for his horse, startling the brown animal as he quickly untied it and swung up onto its back. He turned the animal around, glancing back at Tristan before giving a quick nod. "I'm going to check up on these. Keep Tèa inside and have everyone on alert for a dragon, no matter what the color. Get everyone out if the dragon attacks and keep that child safe!"

He kicked the horse into a gallop, leaning over the horse's neck as it ran down the muddied tracks of the village. He barely heard the yelps of the other villagers as they ducked out of the way to avoid his reckless ride, too focused on what might be ahead of him.

Yugi, the one member of the royal family that he had failed utterly. He had forgiven himself for all his other mistakes, cleansing them by the care of Tèa and her infant. But the actions that had lead to the supposed end of Yugi's life could never be forgiven, even by the prince himself. The weight that this guilt caused still tormented the knight, sometimes keeping him from sleeping. Because then he would see Yugi being skewered again and he would be even more helpless than he had been originally. But this was his one chance to ease some of that weight.

If Yugi was alive, then it was only the failure of keeping him unscathed. That was infinitely more bearable.

He glanced up at the sky, watching as evening fell, the sun beginning to sink below the horizon, and calculated where the dragon would have gone. It had been heading in the direction of the thicker forest, which placed it very close to the village, but still hidden. Mahad shivered at the thought of a dragon lurking. If he hadn't seen the creature then he wouldn't have known.

Without a pause, he sent his horse galloping into the forest, giving a curse as it quickly became too thick for the animal to get through easily. He jumped from his horse's back, tying the animal to the nearest branch before rushing into the undergrowth himself, forgetting that he had left his sword on the pommel of his saddle.

Mahad raced awkwardly through the undergrowth, pausing to catch his breath and listen. It was still early in the spring, so there were too few animals to base the location of the dragon off the lack of sound. Nor would there be a trail to follow, since the creature would probably decide to linger in one spot. He gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to punch a tree, instead leaning against the trunk and gasping for breath. He was so close; his quarry was just out of his reach. The knight slid down to the ground, kneeling against the tree, nails digging into his palm.

He wanted to see Yugi badly, to be able to actually talk to the man who was like his own son instead of relying on the memories of conversations they had once had. Even those were fading, details disappearing and leaving him feeling empty. Had he really forgotten exactly how Yugi's smile looked or how his amethyst eyes sparkled when he was taught something new? He could catch glimpses of the once plentiful instances, but it was never enough. Sighing, Mahad stood up from the tree, absently brushing off his pants before moving further into the skeletal undergrowth, his search no longer as desperate as before.

With his thoughts turned inward, he almost walked out into the large open space, ignorant to the two that already occupied it. It was only the sound of a painfully familiar voice that made him stop.

"Oh, gods, Atem." His head snapped up at the pleasure filled words, his mouth dropping open at the sight before him.

Mahad instantly recognized Yugi out of the two men who were kneeling in the clearing, the prince behind the tanner version of himself. Neither of them had spotted the knight, probably because they were too engrossed in each other. Mahad tensed as Yugi raised his head from the man's shoulder, realizing that he was in plain sight. He took a slow step back, trying to keep himself from yelling at the prince. This was not the proper behavior for a king. He was supposed to be showing an interest in women, not fucking men. But the knight was ready to let the action go this once, considering that Yugi was alive at all was a miracle.

He quickly ducked behind a tree as Yugi began to move, not wanting to see his prince commit this act. He had thought that Yugi was interested in women, knowing that the prince was no blushing virgin. Although, the knowledge that Mahad could count the women that Yugi had been with on one hand contradicted that fact. The knight let out a sigh, the air hissing out between his clenched teeth. At least this problem had solved itself before Yugi had taken the throne. The prince already had one heir and could probably sire another one soon enough, leaving him to entertain himself with whatever manner of lover he desired.

A scream of pleasure had him peeking around the tree and wishing he hadn't as he got a glimpse of Atem with his head thrown back as Yugi reached around the other's side to stroke his penis. Mahad shook his head and ducked around the tree, trying and failing to get the image out of his head. While he didn't mind the idea of two men loving each other like this, it didn't mean that the knight particularly enjoyed having the evidence right in front of him. Mahad relished in his self imposed ignorance.

"My heart…Yugi…please." The prince must have muttered something to his lover, because Mahad didn't hear the response to the pleading, only the scream of pleasure that followed. "YUGI!"

Mahad didn't hear Yugi follow the other man into his climax; too busy pressing his hands to his ears. Normally, he wouldn't have stayed to watch, instead finding another spot to wait for his charge. But the fear of losing Yugi against had kept him close, much to his embarrassment. Taking a deep breath, the knight peeked around the tree, leaning against the trunk for support.

The two men were still panting as they recovered from their orgasms, Yugi vaguely stroking Atem's side with a frown. His lover turned his head to the side, probably whispering a question because Mahad heard only heard Yugi respond, and then only barely. "I miss it."

Atem gave a shaky smile, now resting his head back on Yugi's shoulder. "I know, love, but I would kill you any other way."

Yugi moaned at the shift, his reply slightly muffled by the skin of Atem's neck as he turned to kiss it. "The sacrifices I make for you."

Atem laughed and pulled away from Yugi. The prince whimpered at the action, wrapping his arms around himself as Atem stood up. The prince seemed to be thinking over something, tapping a finger against his arm before he looked up at his lover. "Why do I have to choose between cuddling and you?"

The smile came back to Yugi's face as Atem knelt down by Yugi, gently nuzzling the juncture between his neck and shoulder. Shadows danced up the man's arms, tangling around Yugi as well. The prince gasped, shivering before letting out a groan as the shadows stroked over his body before retreating, concentrating on the man in front of him. The silhouette of the man shifted, stretching out until it resembled the outline of a dragon before the shadows disappeared, leaving the familiar black and red scaled dragon.

Mahad could only stare as the dragon let out a low purr, continuing to nuzzle Yugi as he wrapped himself around the prince. Yugi reached up, resting one arm along the dragon's head as the creature settled to the ground, arranging itself so that Yugi was pressed close to Atem's chest, nestled between his forelegs. The dragon shifted his head then, raising its head so it was over Yugi's shoulder, the purr continuing as Yugi stroked him. "Is that better, my heart?"

"Yes." Yugi tried to wiggle away from the dragon's hold, eyes falling shut as it kept him in place. "Although the purring…" The sound increased at the mention, making Yugi bite his lower lip to keep a sound from escaping. "Should stop…"

"Really now?" The dragon moved his muzzle, gently licking Yugi's neck. It paused for a moment before lowing drawing the tip of its tongue down Yugi's chest, making the prince squirm.

"Atem." Yugi tried to push the dragon away, his halfhearted attempts failing as he moaned, allowing the dragon to do as he wished. His constant mutters of the dragon's name continued, running into one word as the dragon came closer to the prince's reawakened erection.

Mahad tensed as the dragon suddenly looked up, head lifting away from Yugi as it scanned the area. The knight gulped and stepped back behind his tree, pressing himself back against the trunk and hoping that the dragon had not seen him. One hand reached for his sword, closing on air. Mahad looked down, muffling a groan of annoyance as he realized where his sword was, back with his horse. He hit the back of his head against the tree, silently cursing himself for being an idiot.

"Atem? What's wrong?" The dragon snorted in response, the sound making Mahad go still again.

"If you wish to live, I suggest you show yourself now, human." Yugi mumbled something that Mahad couldn't hear, being shushed immediately by the dragon. "I can smell you here. Now, show yourself!"

The knight hesitated a moment more before walked out into the clearing, keeping his eyes glued to the ground as he approached the two. He nearly stopped when he felt the angry gaze of the dragon on him, only walking forward because he heard Yugi gasp. "Mahad?"

He looked up at the prince, watching as the prince scrambled for his clothes, finally accepting them from the dragon. Mahad let Yugi pull on his pants before the knight crossed his arms, radiating disapproval. Yugi blushed, glancing away for a second before meeting the gaze, something new from the prince. Usually Yugi would refuse to make eye contact for as long as the scolding would last, blushing the entire time. Mahad hesitated, wondering what to do about this new development before deciding that he didn't care. Yugi was still alive and he was here.

Mahad rushed over to Yugi, pulling the surprised prince into a hug. He ignored the snarl of rage as the dragon interpreted the move as an attack, clinging tightly to the one he thought he had lost. The knight fought back tears, hating the way his voice cracked as he spoke. "It's true. You're really here. Yugi, I thought I'd lost you."

"Mahad…" He was pulled away from the prince, hesitation obvious in the purple eyes before Yugi allowed Mahad to hug him again, this time returning the hug. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I should have been there with you. I should have been able to protect you, but I failed." The knight pulled away, letting his arms fall back to his sides as he examined the prince. Yugi was still the same as he remembered, although he had some burn marks on his shoulders from time spent out in the sun. There was also a large scar on the left side of his chest, the skin eerily glossy. Mahad clenched his hands by his side at the obvious reminder of his failure, but found himself staring at the scar. It reminded him too much of another scar he had witnessed, in the exact same place. He brushed his hand across the skin, frowning as Yugi stumbled away, the prince hastily pulling on his shirt.

Mahad curled in fingers back to his palm, brow furrowing as he continued to stare at the prince, his gaze never leaving the place the scar was, the skin now hidden under Yugi's shirt. Yugi had been stabbed through the heart; the knight knew that because he still saw the moment in his nightmares, still woke up screaming. That was fatal, he knew that. He had seen the same injury once before, and the person had lived only because Aislinn had taken pity on them. Had taken them to a dragon. The knight looked up at the dragon quickly, looking between the beast and Yugi. He glared at the dragon, marching right up to the creature and only stopping when it lowered its head to stare back at him. "Set him free."

"What?"

"I don't know what kind of twisted magic you used on him, but I order you to let Yugi go now." Mahad tensed at the growl from the dragon, ignoring the warning as he turned to point at the prince. "You cannot control him any longer. His people need him! As his protector, I order you to let him go!"

"I refuse." The dragon pulled Yugi close, the prince not fighting the beast as he was pressed up against the black scales. Mahad took a step back as the dragon raised a wing over the prince, the creature obviously keeping him from Mahad.

"You have no choice. We need him to be king. We need him to lead the people against Gozaburo."

"I only have one heart to give, knight!" The dragon snarled, looking back as Yugi emerged from the shelter that the dragon had created with his wing. The prince glared at Mahad before laying a hand on the dragon's side, the motion indicating what side he had chosen to support. The dragon sighed at the contact, the initial ferocity in its eyes disappearing. "And I will not see Yugi like that again."

"Yugi…" Mahad hadn't even heard the dragon's final statement, too busy staring at the prince as he deserted him. Yugi glanced at the ground before looking up against and slowly shaking his head. The knight stepped forward, any further motions towards the prince deterred by a low growl from the dragon.

"As long as I live, I will protect my people, but not as their king." Yugi spoke the words slowly, seeming to think over every one before it was voiced aloud. "I've got a new life, Mahad, and a family-"

"What about your mother, Yugi? What about the queen? How do you expect me to tell her that you have run away from all of this?"

There was a sudden silence from the dragon, the nearly continual rumble stopping as the dragon pulled its head up. It blinked slowly before glancing down at Yugi, the ferocity suddenly gone, lowering his head so the tip of his muzzle rested on Yugi's shoulder. Mahad paused at the motion, staring as the dragon went abruptly from aggressive to caring. "Love-"

"Don't call him that!"

The dragon ignored Mahad's outburst, Yugi slowly turning to face the dragon, losing contact with the creature. Its red eyes darted away for a moment before meeting Yugi's again, the creature giving a long sigh. "I should have told you this earlier but things got complicated quickly. I am sorry. Your mother was killed the night he captured my father…the night you ran away. I'm sorry. I wasn't there in time."

Mahad stiffened at the news, not doubting the dragon's words. Of course the beast would withhold that information from them, just to see the humans that it held under its thrall suffer. A creature would never lie about anything like this. He looked up as Yugi gave a pained whimper, swaying in place as his violet eyes suddenly became unfocused. Mahad felt an ache in his heart as he looked at his prince, knowing that Yugi had been closer to his mother than his father, since the former king had been busy. Aislinn had been a steady feature for all of Yugi's life in the castle, always there for him. And they had both thought that she would be there when he got back.

The knight took a step forward as Yugi seemed to come back to himself, wrapping his arms around himself. "She's…Killed?"

He took a step forward, ready for the hug that Yugi was sure to demand. The prince couldn't have grown out of that in this short amount of time. Mahad came to a shocked stop as Yugi stumbled forward to the dragon, the creature shifting so that Yugi was leaning against it. It lowered its head, pressing it against Yugi's side as Yugi shuddered against it. Mahad took a step back, staring at the scene before him in confusion and horror. Why would Yugi turn to the creature before one of his own kind? Even if the creature had a hold on Yugi's mind, the prince should have turned to something familiar instead of foreign. His hands clenched into fists as he watched them. None of this was right.

The dragon rubbed his head against Yugi, a soft trill coming from the creature. "I'm sorry, so sorry, love."

"Don't call him that!" The dragon turned his head around at the shout, now noticing the command from the knight. The creature hissed, never pulling too far from Yugi. Mahad glared at the dragon, wishing that he could just plunge his sword into the creature's heart, but that would just tear Yugi away from him again. Emboldened by the lack of further reaction from the dragon, Mahad walked forward, intending on pulling Yugi away from the creature. "He already has a child and a woman that loves him. He's not yours."

He snatched his outstretched hand back as the dragon snapped at it, retreating quickly as the beast stood up and began to advance towards him. Mahad swallowed as he saw flames flickering in the creature's mouth, wishing that he had brought his sword. He found himself unable to look away from the crimson eyes of the dragon as the creature spoke. "He already has a mate, human. He is _mine_ and no one else's! No power on this earth will be able to take him away from me."

Mahad flinched, raising an arm over his head and peeking out from under the limb as the dragon raised its head, mouth open and ready to breath his flame. The knight tensed, hand again groping for the sword that wasn't there in the small hope that he had been wrong the first time. He was so preoccupied with his imminent demise that he almost didn't hear Yugi's voice whisper, "Atem."

The dragon stopped its attack, snapping its mouth shut and seeming to swallow before it looked down at Yugi, enraged crimson eyes softening. Mahad relaxed from his defensive stance, looking in awe at Yugi, who was standing by the dragon with one hand pressed to the creature's leg, the other still wrapped around him. The dragon immediately lay back down on the ground, stretching out a wing invitingly. Yugi gave a nod before shuffling into the shelter. The dragon glared at Mahad and snorted once before ducking his head under his wing.

In the sudden silence, Mahad found himself staring at the dragon, trembling as he realized what had happened. Yugi had saved him from death, but had still chosen the dragon over everything else. Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair and stormed back through the undergrowth, seeking his horse. Still stewing, Mahad untied the animal and mounted, roughly turning it back toward his father's home before giving its sides a harsh kick. Automatically, he leaned forward as the horse galloped out of the woods, snorting as Mahad urged it even faster, not really caring that it was almost too dark for him to see properly.

Yugi had chosen the dragon over him, over all his people.

The dragon had saved him by putting half of his poisoned heart in Yugi, turning his mind away from everything he loved and offered a perfect body for Yugi to lust after, trapping what remained of his heart. How easily the prince had been won by that creature. Mahad growled at the thought, knowing that Yugi would have never done this if he had been in his right mind. It was obvious that Yugi was under the thrall of the creature. And Mahad had to get him out before Yugi forgot who he was entirely.

He looked up as his horse slowed, intending to kick the animal again, when he realized that he was close to his father's house. The knight winced and steered his horse around the small village where Tèa and her son were living. He couldn't face them right now; the news could wait until he figured out what to do about Yugi. There was no way that he would allow Tèa to live under the false hope that he could return the prince to his normal state, it was better that she continue be ignorant.

The soft sound of his horse's hooves over wood shook him from his thoughts, the knight looking up at the manor that was before him. He steered his horse over the small bridge and toward the stables, numbly slipping from the animal's back and stripping the saddle from it. Mahad led the horse into his stall, removing the bridle before putting the tack on the ground, making a mental note to clean his equipment in the morning. He left the stable, leaving his sword still attached to the pommel. He was suddenly too tired to care. Mahad ran a hand over his face before entering his father's house, avoiding the main rooms before jogging up to his room.

He stripped down to his pants before flopping into his bed, wrapping the blanket around himself and staring out through the small window at the stars. A memory of doing the same thing when he was little came across his mind before he dismissed it. He didn't want to think about the past right now, because then it would bring up horrible memories. He groaned and flipped the blanket over his head, knowing that he was reacting childishly to Yugi's defection, but he couldn't help it. All his hopes and dreams had been shattered in an instant, and he was out plans.

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_Read and review please. Criticism is always welcome._


	14. A New Purpose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do own bits of the plot and my OC.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I do own bits of the plot and my OC.

**Warning:** Character death, blood

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Chapter Fourteen: A New Purpose

_And so it came to be that the King and the Prince were reunited  
Through the efforts of a lady with love unrequited_

Tèa gently patted her son's back, smiling as he burped and pulling him from his place on her shoulder to cuddle him close. She stroked his back as she moved silently to the entryway, peeking at the colors that were splayed across the sky as the sun rose. She leaned against the frame, smiling at the scene before her; a village waking up in the early spring, the men staggering out to their jobs as the women begun their day. This was the sight that she wanted to continue to see for the rest of her life, with only one thing missing in the equation. Tèa ran her hand through the soft fuzz that was on her son's head. She still missed Yugi.

The brunette sighed, giving her son a kiss on his forehead, stroking his cheek with a finger as he blinked up at her. Her son, despite his small size, had survived long enough to be given a name. Tèa turned to go back inside, her mind drifting as she took one last look outside. Her thoughts were occupied with the perfect name, not allowing her to recognize the oddity of the scene in the village.

At first, the short man standing in the lane didn't bother her. It wasn't until she saw the glint of iron in the rising sun that she gasped and clutched her son closer to her as she backed away. The man laughed, adjusting his hold on the sword as he stepped forward. He made a small motion, a mere moment passing before a green dragon flew low over the village, breathing a stream of fire. Tèa jumped as the screaming started, attempting to calm her son as he started to cry at the noise. Her head snapped up as the man spoke. "It was easy to find you, girl. Now, hand over the child."

"No!" Tèa rushed from the small house, running towards the manor house. If she could get to Mahad, he would be able to keep her safe. He had promised. She gasped for breath as she began to dodge around the men who were rushing from their tasks. Tristan grabbed her as she ran by, looking panicked as he stared up at the dragon. Tèa clung to her friend with her free hand. "Gozaburo is after me! He knows I'm here!"

"Go to Mahad." He gave her a shove in the same direction she had been running before joining the flow of men again. Tèa nodded to herself before breaking into a run again, glancing down at her son.

"Don't worry," she whispered to the sobbing baby, "everything will be fine. Nothing will get you, I promise."

His screams increased at the sound of trees breaking. Tèa spun around to see a black dragon pushing out from the dense forest, roaring in fury. She hesitated before rushing onward, her panic rising. Now there were two dragons, which made it more difficult to escape. She tried to run faster as she reached the open land between the village and the manor house, stumbling over the uneven ground. Tèa came to a stop after her third near fall, turning to look back at the place she had called home, only now realizing that she was crying. Hastily, she wiped the tears from her eyes and turned back towards her destination, picking up a stumbling run. She sighed in relief as she saw soldiers beginning to run towards the village. The next moment, she slipped, quickly turning herself so that she would take the brunt of the fall. The wind was knocked out of her on impact, the world spinning around for a moment before she was able to move.

Dazed, she turned her head to the side, eyes widening as she saw the knight walking calmly toward her. Tèa scrambled to her feet, shifting the hold on her son as she started to back away. Another roar drew her attention briefly to the dragons, the black dragon grabbing onto the green one and forcing the other's neck up to cut off the flames. The knight grunted and reached up to massage his own neck before dropping his hand and continuing his own advance. "Just hand over the child and I'll let you go. You're a pretty enough girl. I'm sure that you deserve only the best. After all, it will save your life. One worthless child for your own life."

"Go to hell!" Tèa snapped at the knight. How could he call her son worthless? How dare he assume that about her? How dare he think that she would willingly give up her son's life for her own? She glanced down at her son, her anger softening as she gazed at him, reaching out to wipe a few tears from his face, before returning her gaze to the advancing knight. Her eyes widened as she saw Tristan running up behind the man, gesturing for him to get away.

He didn't listen to her, throwing himself at the night. "Get away from her!"

The knight snorted and turned around, slashing his sword across Tristan's throat before he turned back around with a roll of one shoulder. Tèa watched in horror as her friend fell to the ground, blood running down the front of his shirt and mixing with the soil. She looked back up at the knight, heart beating faster as he flicked some of the blood off his sword with a look of disgust on his face. He shook his head before continuing to advance, Tèa finding herself unable to move and desert the body of her friend.

Before now, the threat of death had seemed far away. Until now. Now it seemed all too real.

The knight lunged forward, Tèa turning at the last minute so the sword went through her side instead of through her son, screaming in pain as the knight backed away in surprise. She gave a whimper before she fell to the ground, curling around her child as she still attempted to protect him from the knight. She opened her eyes weakly as she heard the knight walking around her "Stupid girl."

And then a roar reverberated through the air.

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Atem shoved the green dragon to the ground, smirking as it struggled, its motion broken off with an awkward squawk. The black and red dragon looked up at the sound, snarling as he saw the knight standing over a fallen woman. Atem gave a roar and swung his tail, sending the knight flying. He glanced down as the green dragon grunted in pain at the knight's hard landing, but didn't move otherwise. Atem nodded and stepped away from the dragon, the motion bringing the village into his line of sight. The men-at-arms surrounded the place in an attempt to put out the flames. At least some of the village would be salvaged instead of the entire place being destroyed. Yugi would be happy.

He turned to look at a long scratch on his shoulder, gotten from his clumsy break from the forest before beginning to clean it. He growled at the memory, glad that the wind had shifted to bring the scent of the dragon with it, warning them that the attack had started. And, as he had promised his mate, he had gotten to the village within minutes of the initial attack. Atem paused in his care of the wound at the sound of frantic scrambling and muttering. He looked back at the green dragon, staring in confusion as the dragon clawed at his own scales.

The black and red dragon reached over to stop the other dragon, eventually having to lean on him to stop the motion. The green dragon looked up with pleading eyes. "Please, Morningstar. It happened again…and this time I helped. I promised that it would never happen again, but it did. And I helped. Please, please just kill me!"

"What?"

"The chick!" The green dragon jerked his head in the direction of the woman, now shuddering at the sight. Atem was about to look at what was bothering the dragon when he felt claws dig into his foreleg. He snarled, flames rising in his throat when the green dragon didn't release his leg. Another look at the green dragon showed that he had no idea what was going on around him, lost in his own world. Frantically, he looked at Atem, claws relaxing and digging into the foreleg. "They killed and left us all…all alone. I had to watch them all die and I promised it would never happen again. I promised the stars, Atem. This…"

The dragon gave a keen, the sound making Atem jump back as the dragon went back to thrashing on the ground. He tipped his head to the side before approaching the dragon cautiously. This dragon must have been a victim of the random killings that had gone on about one hundred years ago, that was the only explanation for his behavior. Atem winced and looked away, remembering the mutilated bodies that he had been forced to look at; all to enforce the idea that as Morningstar, a title that he didn't understand at the time, he should be able to stop this when he was older. He sighed, stepping around the dragon. "Okay."

He nudged the dragon onto his stomach, planting a foreleg at the end of the dragon's back before grabbing the neck in his mouth. Atem closed his eyes and pulled the neck up, pressing down with his whole weight on the rest of the body. When he could feel the tension in the neck, he gave a vicious shake, feeling the bones snap under the stress. There was a soft exhale a moment later as the dragon died instantly. Atem gave a mournful rumble before lowering the dragon's neck back to the ground, carefully realigning it properly. There were enough wounds from the battle between the two of them earlier that any passing dragon would think that this one had lost a fair fight. And that was the more honorable death.

Atem stepped away from the body, turning to look at the woman as he walked over. He made sure to circle around so he was approaching her from the front, lowering himself into a crouch and pressing his wings against his sides to appear smaller. He saw a flicker of fear in her blue eyes before she gave a faint smile. "Thank you."

"Don't." Atem settled on the ground, tipping his head to the side. He thought he recognized this human, but he couldn't remember where. Giving up for the moment, he rested his head on the ground. "I'm sorry I was too late to save you."

"Yes, but you can still save him."

"Who?"

"My son." The woman gently moved the bundle away from her, Atem hearing the soft sounds of whimpering from it for the first time. The dragon took a sharp breath, eyes moving back to the green dragon as the information began to add up. Gozaburo wouldn't have sent someone after this woman unless she was of some importance, which meant that she was the one who had carried Yugi's child, the one that she had died trying to save. He lowered his eyes to look at the child before glancing back up at the woman, watching as she gave a weak smile. "He's all we have. Please, take care of him."

Atem returned the smile, shifting so his forelegs were no longer folded awkwardly. "I promise to take care of him." The woman nodded, looking at her son before beginning to push the bundle towards him. Atem reached out with a claw, carefully halting the movement and shaking his head. "For now, just keep him close. I'll stay here with you."

"Thank you." Atem gave a purr in response, watching the woman as she propped herself up enough to give her child a kiss on the forehead before slumping back to the ground, the life leaving her blue eyes a few minutes later. Atem closed his eyes, bowing his head in response to her passing, respecting the woman. She had been brave enough to keep Yugi's son away from Gozaburo and keep up the spirits of the peasants, even at the cost of her own life.

A loud whimper drew his attention back to the bundle. Carefully, Atem picked it up with his mouth, awkwardly scooting backwards before shifting so he was facing away from the body of the mother. He set the baby down between his forelegs, craning his head to look more closely at the infant. He found wide purple-blue eyes staring back at him, blinking slowly as the baby fought against sleep. Atem gave a purr, lowering his head to nudge some of the blanket away. He stopped, still hovering over the infant as the baby began to sniffle again.

"Hush, little one. There is nothing to worry about." Atem rested his head by the infant, watching as the sniffling stopped as the baby watched him, seeming to think before reaching out. Without thinking, Atem moved so the baby's hand was resting against his muzzle. To his surprise, the baby gave a sleepy giggle, the hand moving away before landing on a different spot. Atem gave a chuckle of his own, pulling his head away. He watched the baby's lower lip tremble, sighing before curling so he could drape the end of his tail over his foreleg, the tip just within reach of the infant. The baby gave a giggle before grabbing onto the tip of Atem's tail, the purple-blue eyes falling shut soon afterwards. Atem shook his head with a laugh. "Just like your father, little one."

He shifted so his head was resting right beside the infant, surprised at how quickly he was becoming attached to the little human. He had expected to hate the baby because it wasn't his, something that his instincts should be fighting against. Instead, he was getting fiercely protective of the infant. It reminded him of the one time he had seen Critias with his last clutch of eggs before his mate died; watching the usually sullen and snappish dragon carefully turn the eggs so they heated evenly and even talking quietly to them. Atem sighed, giving a gentle purr as the baby shifted at the sudden rush of air, still not letting go of the tip of his tail. Experimentally, Atem tried to lift his tail out of the infant's grasp, smiling as he watched the baby grasp it with his other hand as well before the dragon gave up.

He was stuck, and he didn't mind. He could quite happily lay here and watch the baby sleep. But then what happened when the infant woke up. Atem blinked slowly at the realization. Eventually, he would get hungry and there was no way to provide for the baby in their little band of males, unless they somehow found another human female willing to nurse the infant. Atem growled at the thought, not willing to let anyone touch his little one. He stopped the sound abruptly as the infant made a distressed noise, turning pressing his head softly against the infant. "I'm sorry, little one. Sleep now. Everything is alright."

The baby gave a sigh and curled up tighter, getting a better hold of the tip of Atem's tail as he did so. The dragon found himself smiling again, and he didn't want to stop. They would figure out what to do with the infant when the boy woke up, probably finding a goat or something that would provide milk. He wouldn't let his little one go to any other female that would try and take him away. It was irrational, but Atem didn't mind that fact for once. If things got too bad, they could always fly the infant down to the humans in the south and leave him with Solomon for a few days, the thought also distasteful to the dragon. But he wouldn't put his little one in any unnecessary danger.

Atem gave the infant a soft nuzzle, stopping the motion abruptly when he heard the sound of someone approaching. He relaxed when he realized that it was Yugi. Atem lifted his head away from the infant, giving a trill as the baby began to shift and whimper. "I'm still here, little one."

"Atem?" The dragon looked up, watching Yugi as the prince picked his way over the uneven land, couching by the dead body of the knight before looking at the dragon. The prince sighed, absently rubbing his shoulder before trudging over to Atem, his slow pace breaking into a run as he saw the body of the woman on the ground. He crouched by her, staring at the wound in her side before glancing up at her face. Yugi gave a squeak of surprise before scrambling back, looking up at Atem. "It's her. Oh gods, he killed her."

"I'm sorry, love. I wasn't fast enough."

"No." Yugi shook his head, slowly standing up. "Don't apologize. We both tried our best. It just wasn't enough." He bit his lip in thought, eyes widening as he realized something. Atem tipped his head to the side as Yugi quickly spun around. "What about her child…my child?"

"Love-"

"Oh gods." Yugi was pacing now. "I didn't see it with her, so it must have been in the house. But that one's been burnt, unless Crump killed it somewhere else. We…we need to find it."

"Yugi, he's fine." Atem chuckled as his mate turned on his heel to stare at him, motioning the prince over with a jerk of his head. "I have him."

Yugi hesitated a moment before rushing over, clambering over the dragon's foreleg in his haste. He slid carefully to the ground, his eyes wide as he stared at the small bundle beside Atem's leg. Slowly, the prince walked over, Atem quickly lowering his head to steady his mate. Yugi crouched on the ground, keeping one hand on Atem to keep himself steady. Atem laughed at Yugi's exhale of amazement, arms reaching out before he pulled them back. "Can I…"

"He's your son, my heart. You are allowed to pick him up but," Atem gave his tail a twitch, watching as the infant increased his grip on it, "just keep in mind that I am stuck like this until he decides to wake up."

Yugi laughed and scooped up his son, turning to sit against Atem's foreleg with the dragon's tail over his shoulder. Carefully, the prince moved the blanket out of the way so he could see his son's face, the dragon peering as well. He had been too afraid to try and unwrap the baby before, suddenly very aware how large he was compared to the infant. Atem gave a trill as he looked over the infant's features. "He looks like you, love."

"Yeah." The word was spoken on an exhale. Yugi glanced up at Atem. "Is it normal to not want to put him down?"

Atem shrugged, not taking his eyes from the two. "I've never had any of my own. I was too young until this year."

Yugi nodded, tipping his head to the side as he continued to study his son's features. "Did she tell you if he had been named yet?"

"_If_?" Atem pulled his head back, blinking in confusion. He had never assumed that the baby didn't have a name. It wasn't until Yugi had brought it up that he remembered that he had never asked it of the mother. The dragon waited for Yugi to elaborate as the prince nodded.

"It's a common practice not to name a child until you are sure that it will live. It's considered back luck or something." Yugi looked up at the dragon and shrugged. "I wasn't named until nearly a month after I was born, it was that bad for me."

"Then…what did they call you?" Atem was trying to wrap his mind around this strange human tradition, not sure that he really wanted to understand.

"My mother usually called me the usual pet names for a child. To everyone else I was the prince or the king's son or the baby since Seto was older than me." Yugi laughed sadly. "If it hadn't been for my mother, I would have been known by those names for seventeen years. She was the one who finally demanded that they name me officially."

Atem snorted. "That's nonsense."

"How do you do it?" Yugi threw the challenge at him, smiling to let the dragon know that he was not mad for the slight made to his culture.

"Well, the longest a chick will go without a name is a day or two, usually because the parents couldn't decide before. But the parents usually spend a lot of time with their offspring, tending the eggs. Apparently, you get to know them pretty well." Atem shrugged to show that he was guessing about this. "Humans may carry their offspring with them, but dragons can hear their offspring in their shells. We are more aware of them from the start."

Yugi gave a short laugh. "Makes more sense than what we do." He turned his head to look at his son from another angle. "Pick a name."

"What?"

Yugi shrugged. "I think you deserve the honor of naming him since you saved him."

The dragon blinked quickly. "But…he's yours."

"Yes. And I am your mate. Therefore, he is yours as well." Atem looked away, scanning the area around them and realizing, for the first time, that this was not the place to be discussing this. He turned back to Yugi as the prince tapped his foreleg. "He is _our_ son, Atem. So, you choose the name. I don't care if it is human or dragon"

"He might."

A look of determination crossed Yugi's face. "I'm not going to let them use him for their fight against Gozaburo. I've seen what happens in that world and I don't want a part of it any longer. If he wants that world when he's grown, I won't stop him. But I want to keep him away from all of that, for now. Until then, it doesn't matter."

Atem gave a slow nod, eyes glancing up at the sound of another human approaching. He felt Yugi press closer to his leg, cradling the infant close. Atem moved his head so he was hovering over them, growling at he watched Mahad run towards them, the knight stopping to gaze in horror at the body of the woman. The knight knelt by her, gently sweeping the hair from her eyes before glancing up at Atem. The dragon nearly flinched back at the look of pure hatred in the knight's eyes. "You killed her."

"I did no such thing. It was that knight. Besides, why would I want to kill her? She was nothing to me."

"She would have taken Yugi away from you, that's enough for a heartless creature like you." Atem gave a warning growl that the knight ignored, the human now looking around himself for something. "Where's her son?"

"Safe."

Atem started at the sound of a sword being pulled out of its scabbard. The dragon growled as Mahad advanced, somewhat distracted by the feeling of Yugi trying to loose the infant's fingers from his tail. Ever so slowly, he felt the grip on him leave, Yugi pushing away from the dragon and leaving Atem barely enough time to move away. He was still too slow, Mahad's sword catching on his foreleg.

Two cries of pain rang out as Atem and Yugi reacted. The dragon turned to find his mate, eyes widening as Yugi fumbled with the infant for a moment, frantically trying to keep his hold on his son. Atem snarled and turned on the knight, whipping the sword out of his hands with his tail. He shoved the knight onto his back, pinning the human to the ground. He tried to control his temper, struggling against the part of him that demanded he attack and rip the knight to shreds for hurting his mate and nearly injuring his little one. With a trembling breath, Atem pulled away, backing up so he could lie on the ground.

He turned to glare at Mahad as the knight struggled up from the ground, lowering his shoulder so that Yugi could climb up onto his back, the prince having to go slower than normal with his precious load. The dragon snarled as Mahad began to walk towards them, the sound enough to keep the knight back. Satisfied that the human wasn't a threat to him, Atem pulled his head up, slowly standing as he felt Yugi tap his shoulder. "You will _not_ threaten Yugi or Kysen again, knight, or you will regret it."

Mahad glanced up at Yugi once, seeming to plead with the prince to refute Atem's words. Atem looked over his shoulder to see the prince slowly shaking his head, adjusting his hold on the infant as he leaned forward to pat the dragon. "Come on, the others will be worried."

Atem gave a stiff nod before breaking into a jog, running for a while before launching himself into the air. He banked to head back to the forest, catching sight of Marik as the pale golden dragon circled, probably searching for them. Atem glanced down at Mahad, the knight standing alone in the field before pulling himself upright and hovering, waiting until Marik spotted him. The black and red dragon jerked his head, indicating that they were heading back for the other side of the boarder before resuming his flight, listening to Yugi as he spoke to his son.

"So, Kysen?"

Atem winced, peeking back over his shoulder. "Yes. Do you mind?"

Yugi treated him to a huge smile. "Not at all."

* * *

Mahad stomped around in his rooms, viciously shoving things into saddle bags. He had made up his mind. He could no longer just sit in the background knowing what Gozaburo was up to. He had to do something to help the people he had watched with Yugi; tried to protect with Yugi. He would fight in the memory of his prince as he had been. It was no longer enough for him to be a drifter under his father.

He threw the bags over his shoulders, walking from his room. He passed his father, giving the elderly man a serious nod, surprised when he had it returned. Mahad slowed to watch his father pass by, suddenly noticing how old he was. Something told him that this would be the last time that Mahad would see his father and he found that he couldn't discount his time back among his own people. It was a minor distraction in the scheme of things, but not a bad one. Mahad gave a wave to his father before continuing out into the yard.

His horse looked up as he walked out, Mahad taking the reins from the boy and watching as the child ran off, smiling sadly. With a sigh he secured his saddle bags onto the saddle before swinging up onto the horse. He turned the brown horse toward the road, urging the animal to a trot as he left the house, purposefully keeping from looking at the village. He knew that if he did look he would see the small crosses the marked where the bodies of the villagers lay. He knew exactly where Tristan and Tèa were, buried side by side as befitted a married couple.

Mahad looked down at the pommel of his saddle for a moment before looking forward again. Luck was not with Tèa and Yugi. The two were very much alike and could have been happy together if that dragon hadn't poisoned the prince's mind. He would have been happy to serve under Tèa as queen and she would have been a good one; strong where Yugi was weak and harsh where Yugi could be too lenient. It was the perfect match, barring the fact that Tèa had not been royalty. But then, Yugi's mother hadn't been royalty either.

The knight quickly steered himself away from those thoughts, not wanting to think of Aislinn at the moment, still mourning for the loss of one of his first friends in that kingdom. He blinked as his vision blurred, a precursor to tears. He sighed and wiped the moisture from his eyes before allowing his horse to slow to a walk.

If all went well, he would reach the boarder in about three days, and then it would be another day or two until he reached the villages close to the castle. Then, he would find the resistance that had to have sprung up by now and inform them of the news. Tèa was gone, but her son was still out there and alive. Yugi was alive too, but they could expect no help from him. Hopefully, he could get in contact with Seto, something he had failed to do in his initial assault, and get help from inside the castle. He would also have a force of peasants behind him, probably with just rudimentary weapons training. But the plan was simple, just attack and kill the dragon. Everything would be over once that cursed dragon was dead.

He groaned as he realized how wrong he was. Then there was another dragon to slay to free Yugi from his clutches. It would kill the prince again, but it was better to do that than allow him to be used by that dragon for its twisted desires. He only hoped that he could get Tèa and Yugi's son out of its clutches before something happened to the infant. Perhaps, if he got Yugi alone, he could coax the real prince out from under the spell and then he could take him away from the accursed beast. Then, they would get the rightful heir to the throne back and his successor without any more blood spilled.

Even as the thought cheered him, Mahad knew it would never work. The dragon had too strong of a hold on Yugi to ever let him go. He gave a soft curse before focusing his gaze on the horizon. At least he had a good plan this time. Everything else could be gone over as it came up.

* * *

Joey glared at the temporary camp that the villagers had set up, recognizing a few from his own home. The rest were from other villages, fleeing for safety from another attack by Gozaburo. And he didn't blame them for being this cautious. He had seen the ruins of his home, amazed that it had disappeared so quickly, leaving nothing but patches of damp ash on the ground. He sighed at the memory of the image, his eyes falling shut as he rubbed at his temples. There was nothing for it but to move forward.

He glanced up as Duke walked back towards him, the men of the villages following. They all looked annoyed that they had been pulled from their tasks. Joey pulled his hand away from his head, wincing as the women followed close after the men. He pulled Serenity closer to himself, wanting to keep her away from the others and just needing her support in his endeavor. After all, he was about to attempt to change their lives. It was something that he didn't want to do alone.

He cleared his throat as the people came to a stop, gathering in a crowd. Hoping to calm them, Joey gave a lopsided smile before clearing his throat again. "I see you all survived the dragon attack. Has he tried anything else?"

"Not since your village, Joseph." Joey winced at the use of his proper name, having associated it so long with his father and hated it for that reason. The blonde rocked backwards a bit, placing both hands on Serenity's shoulders. He was about to speak again when another voice spoke up, Joey turning his head to look at a woman in the back. "I saw two dragons heading north. There will be another two burned to the ground soon enough."

There was a series of grumbles as the people discussed this, grouping together into pairs or threes to talk about their misfortune. Joey kept a hold on his temper before beginning to speak again, being sure to pitch his voice so he could be heard over the crowd. "Then I say we do something about it!"

"What can we do? Gozaburo has armed men and dragons. What will our farm tools do against him?"

"I know one dragon that would be willing to help." Joey frowned as the crowd took a step back, their muttering increasing. The blonde gave his sister a gently shove, the movement drawing the people's attention back to him. "He healed my sister!" It was a lie, but it was enough to get their attention. "He gave her sight back and is kind to us humans. And he wants Gozaburo gone as much as we do."

"How can we trust a dragon?"

"Look what happened the last time we tried to resist. Gozaburo took the throne!"

"Yes. And your friend there paid the price for arguing against the king." Joey looked over at Duke, wincing as the green eyed man reached up to cover the scars on his neck, the sleeves of his shirt covering up the other scars on his arms from the fire. He shook his head, turning to look back at the crowd.

"That was because we were not organized. We didn't stand together. If I have learned one thing from this, it is that if we help each other than we are stronger than anything Gozaburo can throw at us." Joey smiled at the few nods that he was beginning to get, the people's fear of their tyrant quickly overridden by the evidence that was being shown to them. "We've got Tèa safe in the north and her son, by now. They'll come back down when they hear that we've started to win against Gozaburo, and Mahad will come with them. They haven't given up, so why should we?"

"It's the smart thing to do, boy."

The blonde glared at the man who spoke. "No. The smart thing to do would be to rid ourselves of a king that doesn't deserve his throne. We had a good king and we let ourselves be tricked. Now, I plan to fix that."

"You can't do it alone. Remember what happened to the prince?"

Joey felt Serenity place a hand over his in warning, stopping him from blurting out that Yugi was alive. They still weren't sure of the reaction that they would get, not knowing what to think of the prince's miraculous reappearance themselves. They would be told, in the end, but only when Joey was sure that they could win against Gozaburo. He smiled down as his sister, thanking her for the save. "I don't plan to. The real question is, do you want to live in this slavery for the rest of your lives?"

The crowd went silent for a while, shifting as they thought over his question. Joey smirked when he saw a few begin to nod, glancing up at their neighbors before looking back at him. The blonde refrained from punching the air in victory, knowing that he had them now. They wanted to kill Gozaburo as much as he did, the list of the king's crimes against the people too long to begin to think of. They would fight for their kingdom and for their prince, the son of Yugi and Tèa, perfection for the peasants. The child would be a king to understand them. And, if by some miracle the pale gold dragon did agree to help them, then this whole plan would be a success.

* * *

Seto carefully moved from their bed, resting a hand against Kisara's cheek as she moved restlessly. He waited until she had calmed before walking to where the crib was. Carefully so as not to disturb the infant that slept in it, Seto leaned over. The faint moonlight drifted over the small features, the grey eyes closed as his son slept and the dim light highlighting the black hair. He tensed as Mokuba gave a soft whimper and reached out for something. Automatically, Seto reached a hand into the crib, the smile returning to his face as his son gripped his finger, sighing in contentment.

The blue eyed man wasn't sure how this compulsion to check on his son had come about. But, every night since his birth, Seto had woken for no conceivable reason at least twice a night just to look at his son; these instances different from the times when his son's cries summoned Kisara from her sleep to feed him. Seto adjusted his stance, glancing back at his lover before looking back into the crib. He didn't understand his need to check on his son, even when he knew that nothing was wrong. He just needed to watch his child because he was amazingly there.

The feelings were similar to those that had appeared when his cousin and then little brother had been born, the latter the namesake of his son. He remembered peering in on them and wondering why they were so little and why none of them could play properly with him. But he had been oddly content with the simple games that he had been allowed to play with them. And he remembered that those had been the times that he had laughed the most. He had been genuinely happy then, not the silent child that he learned that he had to be to avoid his father.

He ran his free hand through his hair with a long sigh, smirking as Mokuba gave a soft coo. Vaguely, he noticed that the motion had disturbed the blanket that was covering the infant. Seto reached down to fix it before he was even aware of what he was doing. His eyes widened, hand stopping halfway out of the crib. His gut told him to jerk away and escape, find somewhere where he could pull the mask back over him and rebuild the ice around his heart. Right now, he was vulnerable. He could be hurt when he was like this. And now was not a time to be vulnerable.

Seto retracted his hand from the crib, tensing as a hand was rested on his arm. He relaxed when he turned his head, watching as Kisara rested her head on him, too short to reach his shoulder. Her hand slid down his arm, snaring his other hand and entwining their fingers before looking up at him, giving a mock gasp. "You're smiling. The end of the world must be upon us."

"You've seen me smile before."

"Yes, but you were prompted." Kisara raised their joined hands, dropping a kiss on the back of his. "It's nice to see you so happy, but you need your sleep as well."

"I was just checking on him." Seto turned his glare on her, knowing full well that it had no effect on Kisara. "What are you doing up?"

"The same."

Seto sighed again as she relaxed into him, shaking his head as he carefully freed himself from Mokuba's grasp. He turned around, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on the top of her head. "Is this natural?"

He felt her laugh, the sound slightly smothered. "Is that's what worrying you?" She pushed away, looking up at him. "It's alright to be this worried about him. It is natural. I've seen dragons doing the same thing. It just means you care."

Seto gave a stiff nod before sweeping Kisara off the ground, carrying her bridal style back to their bed. Kisara laughed again, shifting so she was curled up against him. Seto held her close as she drifted off to sleep, his eyes drifting to the crib as Kisara's breathing evened out.

It was time to do it. They were no longer safe in the castle, especially with Gozaburo making his final moves towards his grand goals. And there would be a time where Seto could no longer protect them, the feelings of inadequacy bothering him. He wanted nothing more than to be able to defend the little family he was starting, the need to keep them close surprising him with its intensity. But it was for the best.

Perhaps Kisara could find Yugi down in the south. His cousin would be willing to protect them and keep them out of trouble until Seto had settled things in the kingdom. Or maybe the peasants would keep Kisara away from Gozaburo if he promised to help them, as much as it hurt his pride to stoop to asking for help from the lower class, the idea not helped by his hatred of feeling helpless.

Seto pushed the thoughts out of his mind, allowing himself to just live in the moment, a habit that he seemed to be falling into. To his surprise, it didn't bother him as much as it would have. Seto gave a weak chuckle, the motion of his chest enough to encourage Kisara to stir. He soothed her by rubbing her back, watching as she fell back to sleep.

* * *

Yugi smiled as he happily accepted Kysen back from Ryou, smirking at the slightly disappointed look on Bakura's face. He hadn't expected the thief to take to the child like that, Bakura's usually stern features relaxing when Yugi allowed him to hold the infant; even going as far to take him from Ryou to comfort Kysen when he started to cry and managing to calm the sobs from the child. And, through it all, Atem had hovered at his shoulder, tensing every time that the infant was passed between two people. Yugi had expected him to jump in and snatch Kysen away the couple of times that Bakura and Ryou arranged the baby awkwardly in their arms.

He turned his smile on the black and red dragon, chuckling at the purr that Atem gave. Yugi walked over to a more secluded spot, frowning as Kysen began to squirm. The infant was hungry again. He changed his course, walking over to his pack and pulled out a small container, shaking his head at the oddness of it. Bakura had come up with the whole set up, once again startling Yugi. The thief had snuck into a nearby noble's home, stealing the objects that he needed before holing up for the rest of the afternoon with Marik. In the end, they had turned out a few flasks with a strange top on them. Yugi shrugged to himself; it didn't matter how strange they were, they worked.

Bakura had also solved the problem of supplying milk, taking one of their water skins and taking milk from the noble's goats as well. While it solved their initial problem, there was a downside to this arrangement. To keep Kysen in good health, they would have to stay much closer to human civilization instead of hiding out in forests. There was a better chance of getting spotted or, worse yet, caught by those who were still loyal to Gozaburo.

Yugi sighed and sat down, leaning back against Atem as the dragon settled behind him. The prince shifted Kysen to a more comfortable position, offering him the strange container and relaxing when the infant accepted it. He was always afraid that Kysen would reject the strange thing, leaving them with no choice to find a woman willing to nurse him, something that Atem had rejected outright when they had discussed the problem initially. Yugi looked up at Atem as the dragon chuckled, smiling himself at the enthusiastic sounds that he heard from his son as he fed.

"Slow down, little one," Atem dropped his head over Yugi's shoulder, "there's enough for you."

He laughed at the interaction between his son and his lover, the sound trailing off as he saw Marik approaching cautiously, stopping a good distance away. Yugi tipped his head to the side, not sure how to take the behavior from the usually brash dragon. From behind him, Atem gave a nod, the pale gold dragon beginning to move forward again. He sat up straight as he felt Atem move, the dragon curling up around Yugi and Kysen in a manner that was obvious protective. Yugi glanced up at Atem, surprised to see the crimson eyes narrowing, a sure sign that Atem was angry. Marik must have noticed this too, because lowered himself closer to the ground, looking hurt. "I'm your friend. You told me I could approach."

"You can."

"Not with that look." Marik took a step back, and Yugi couldn't blame the dragon. Atem was looking murderous, his muscles tensed and a glare focused on Marik, although the latter was softening as the pale gold dragon backed away. Marik sighed, sitting back on his haunches. "You can trust me, Atem. I have no interesting in stealing your mate or harming the infant. You can trust me."

"I…I know." Atem hung his head, a sigh shaking his body. Yugi shifted, placing Kysen against his shoulder and gently patting the baby's back, staring worriedly at Atem. The dragon had yet to look away from the two, finally resting his muzzle against Yugi's side. The prince stood up when the baby finally let out a burp, cradling Kysen close as he walked over to Marik and ignoring the warning growl that Atem gave. Cautiously, the allowed Marik to look at the infant, nearly flinching back as the dragon tipped his head to the side.

"Huh. I don't see what the big deal about this thing is. It's just a little package of water and flesh." The observation earned a snarl from Atem, Marik laughing at the black and red dragon. "It's the truth, Atem, don't deny it." The pale gold dragon tipped his head to the opposite side with a sigh. "But he is cute from some angles. I guess it's a redeeming factor."

Marik looked up at Yugi, the prince stunned by the serious look he saw in the dragon's eyes. "Keep him safe, Yugi."

The prince nodded and backed toward Atem as Marik walked to find his own place to sleep. Yugi felt his legs give out as he sat down by Atem, wincing at the move. Thankfully, Kysen was too sated from his feeding to notice, being lulled to sleep by the warmth of his father and the dragon that was curled around them. But the baby was still fighting sleep, one tiny hand reaching up to play with his father's blonde bangs with a frown. Yugi laughed, twisting so that Kysen could touch the dragon. The baby gave a smile before drifted to sleep. Atem gave a purr, gently licking the baby. "So much like your father, little one."

Yugi gave the dragon a gentle poke before lying down on the ground himself, Atem resting his head beside Yugi. The prince allowed Atem to rest in silence before he spoke. "Why didn't you want Marik to come over?"

There was a long pause before Atem spoke. "Dragons will sometimes kill off the chicks of one mated pair to give themselves another chance at winning a mate." The dragon huddled closer to Yugi. "It doesn't happen a lot anymore, but the thought still…I don't want to lose you."

"I told you that you won't." Yugi rested a hand on Atem, smiling softly as the dragon finally relaxed. He reached up to stroke the dragon, watching as Atem opened one of his eyes, looking over Yugi and Kysen. Yugi began to worry as Atem continued to gaze at them. The dragon had been like this before they had left for this endeavor, which had led to him transforming and the two of them entwined, Atem whimpering and scrambling for his mate whenever Yugi shifted away.

He bit his lip and began to trace a finger around Atem's scales, slowly working his way towards the dragon's eye. The motion brought Atem out of whatever trance that he was in, the crimson eye blinking before flickering down to Yugi. He saw a glimpse of fear in the dragon's eye before Atem had gathered his emotions back together. The prince scooted up so he was able to place a kiss on the leathery skin, smirking at the jerk that the dragon made, the creature still not used to that kind of affection while in this form. "What's wrong?"

Atem looked like he was going to avoid the question before he closed his eye, allowing Yugi to run his finger around the softer scales that were below his eye. The dragon gave a soft groan, waiting until Yugi had removed his hand to open his eyes. "I've been running from this title for so long. I'm trying to run from my destiny. No matter what, it will catch up with me. I'm scared."

Yugi sat up as Atem closed his eye again, tears starting to run from them. He kept one arm around his son as he held the other one out, offering his unoccupied side to Atem. The dragon pressed his head into Yugi's side, the warm tears soaking Yugi's shirt as the dragon trembled. The prince petted the dragon, searching for the spot under Atem's jaw. He slowed his search as Atem began to speak, glancing behind him as Atem dug his claws into the ground. "I don't want to die, Yugi. I don't want to drag you down after me. I'm scared that I'll disappear, lose myself forever because I've tainted myself…and I don't care."

"Tainted?" Yugi froze at the words, violet eye widening as he realized what Atem had done. The dragon had sacrificed everything to keep him alive. But he had been chosen, in a way, to give up his life for the dragons. What would Atem's gods think of this?

He was about to move away when Atem gave a keen, moving one foreleg so that Yugi couldn't escape. "Don't leave. I can't bare it alone. Please, Yugi, stay."

The prince gasped when Atem looked up at him, the dragon's crimson eyes pleading with him. Yugi stretched back on the ground, placing another kiss on Atem's face. The dragon snuggled as close as he could get, rubbing the tip of his muzzle against Yugi's stomach, only stopping when he found skin. Yugi tensed as Atem's warm breath washed over his skin, holding his breath for a moment before relaxing as Atem stopped moving. He flipped his hand over so he could touch the dragon, staying awake until he saw Atem slide into a restless sleep, following his lover soon afterwards.

* * *

_Personally, I think it's too cute when Atem and Seto are watching over their kids._

_Please read and review. Criticism is always appreciated._


	15. So It Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they are both owned by their respective owners. I do own bits of the plot and Kysen.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they are both owned by their respective owners. I do own bits of the plot and Kysen.

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Chapter Fifteen: So It Begins

_With all his might  
Did the Morningstar smite the knights_

Gozaburo scowled at Lector as the knight entered the great hall, leaning forward. He had expected the man back before now, the fact that he was late doing nothing to improve the king's already foul mood. It was all the fault of that dragon that could turn human; as long as she was protecting Seto all his plans were worthless. She had even found a way to bind his son closer to her, giving him a child. Gozaburo gripped the edge of the table tighter, cursing his bad luck. Now, he wouldn't be able to move against them without turning his son from his cause. But that was ceasing to matter rapidly. Seto had shown no interest in helping him stabilize this kingdom, so Gozaburo was beginning to think that it was a waste of his time.

He motioned Lector forward, glaring at the knight as he stumbled over himself in his haste. His right hand man was usually not this clumsy, although it could be the fault of the dragon. Rex was known for his slightly sadistic streak. Playing with the knight's fear of heights wouldn't be too far beneath the dragon. He tapped on the table as the waited for the knight to properly gather himself, Lector crossing the final space between them. He gave a bow, refusing to look up at his king. So the news was that bad.

"My lord, Gansley and his dragon are dead. There are sights of an attack on the dragon by another…Rex says it was Atem." The king frowned; the name of the dragon meant nothing to him. Lector gave a minute twitch before clearing his throat. "There is substantial evidence that Crump and his dragon are also dead. Although there is news that the girl and Yugi's child are dead as well."

Gozaburo smiled, not caring that two of his own were dead. If they had managed to get themselves killed, it was not his worry. At least one of them had accomplished their mission. The resistance would die as the news trickled down to his kingdom. And, with that demonstration to the king of the kingdom to the north, his messenger would be accepted without question. The king leaned on his hands, clasping them under his chin as he thought carefully.

He had three more knights that he could send out. Everyone knew that there was nothing to the west but endless mountains to the sea. The people who made that their home would be easy to conquer if he ever needed that land. The next logical thing to do would to be send one dragon to the east to threaten the budding kingdom there. And that would leave him with two here. It would be prudent to keep one here with him to guard the castle and keep the rebellions of the peasants down. But where to send the other one?

There was always the south, the land of the nomads. But they had been killed off during his father's reign. Gozaburo sat up, staring at Lector as the man awaited his next orders. It wouldn't hurt to have the second dragon scout out that area, making a sweep of the south and the west, just to be sure that there were no growing threats. The king nodded to himself, the motion drawing Lector out of his bow. He summoned the man closer, glancing at the shadows of the room, not trusting that he would not be overheard.

"Send Johnson to the east and Nesbitt south. Tell Nesbitt to be ready to travel for a while, he is to scan for problems in the uncivilized lands, take account for resources that we can use later. You, Lector are to stay here." The man bowed out, rushing outside. Gozaburo sighed and stretched, following his knight at a more sedate pace.

He pushed the doors open and took a deep breath of the spring air, a smirk crossing his face. Now was the perfect time to be attacking, while all the other kingdoms were recovering from the blows that winter had dealt them and supplies were still low enough that they could be easily manipulated. His hand went to the hilt of his sword as he passed the two dragons that were chained up in the courtyard, the smaller white one snarling and trying to snap at Gozaburo. His own dragon wasn't giving him problems, but this small one was. It just wouldn't break like the black dragon had; it refused to give up, mostly spouting nonsense about a Morningstar, Atem and Gozaburo's doom. The king shook his head, coming to a stop in front of the aged black dragon, watching as Johnson climbed onto his orange dragon. The knight saluted his king before pulling the dragon toward the proper launching spot. Gozaburo smiled and clasped his hands behind his back, rocking back onto his heels and enjoying a moment of a good mood, knowing that the black mood he had been in before would fall on him as soon as he entered the castle again.

He stopped his motion as he caught a glimpse of white hair in one of the nearby windows. Some sixth sense told him that something was about to go horribly wrong. Gozaburo turned to look at Johnson, releasing a breath in a small sigh as he watched the knight lift off the ground, turning the dragon so it was heading east. He brushed off his odd feeling, putting it down to nervousness due to his plans going so well. And without a flaw. Something should have happened by now to set him back, and yet, nothing had. Gozaburo turned to head back into the castle, stepping aside as Nesbitt led his dragon to the launch point, ducking under the thin, insect-like wings of his dragon. He paused still hunched over, eyes widening as he watched Seto's whore run out into the courtyard.

* * *

"Don't you dare?" Kisara hissed as Seto caught a hold of her arm. She pulled herself away, glaring at her mate in anger, the expression making Seto take a step back. He was used to more placid expressions or anger being directed and someone other than him. In response to his retreat, Kisara took a step away, continuing in the direction she had been going.

"I'm tired of watching this happen, Seto. Don't tell me that you aren't. I want to stop this before Gozaburo kills more innocents. The sooner his is broken, the sooner we can be safe." She watched as Seto's shoulders slumped slightly, the only sight of defeat that he would give. Feeling pity, Kisara walked over to him, resting a hand on his cheek. "Please, I hear some of those dragons screaming to be freed. They don't want this anymore. I can't get to the two in the courtyard. I can only get to the others when they leave. This is my chance to help them. Please, Seto."

"What about Mokuba?" She smiled at his token protest, knowing what he was really saying.

"I won't let anything happen to me. Remember, I spent most of my life with Atem and you saw what he did to those soldiers all those months ago. I can take care of myself." He took her hand from his face, staring at her palm before placing a kiss on it.

"Come back safe." His voice was barely a whisper. Kisara sighed, wrapping him in a hug before running towards the courtyard. She could hear him wait a moment before rushing after her, shaking her head at her mate. He wouldn't stop her, but she wouldn't stop him from watching. Not if he was going to allow her to do this.

Kisara shoved the doors open, drawing her magic to her, smirking as she saw Gozaburo standing in shock, still bent over to avoid the wing of a dragon. She gave a short laugh, the sound turning into a rumble as her body shifted to her dragon form, wings spreading from her back as she let out a roar. It had been too long since she was like this. Part of her wondered why she had given this wondrous thing up, but she knew that Seto was worth it. She could survive as long as she revisited this form every once and a while, knowing that her magic wasn't strong enough to managed this change whenever she wanted. The white dragon stretched her wings even higher above her head before bring them down, the motion lifting her slightly from the ground. She continued to flap her wings, rising from the ground and watching as loose objects and some people went tumbling in the courtyard below. Seto was easily picked out from the rest, the tall brunette standing in the center of the maelstrom, watching her with a smile on his face. Kisara gave another roar before turning and heading after Johnson and his dragon at full speed.

It didn't take long for her to catch up to the smaller dragon, easily moving through the cold air to reach the orange dragon who was struggling without the use of thermals to rise. Kisara dove below the small orange dragon, shoving her shoulders into the stomach of the dragon to send it off course. As she pulled up to face the dragon, she heard the knight yelling at the dragon to breathe fire. She got a glimpse of the dragon's blue eyes, confusion in them as he turned to look at her. A tremble ran through the smaller dragon as it stretched out its neck. For a moment, its blue eyes flickered to the ground before looking at her with resolve. "I don't want this anymore. If you don't do anything, then I'll just drop."

Shocked, Kisara gave a nod, the smaller dragon smiling at the acceptance. It turned his head to snarl at the knight on his back. Before Kisara could react, the orange dragon flipped himself over, sending Johnson tumbling to the ground. The dragon looked back up at Kisara. "Free Paladin if you can, before he kills himself. And then bring Atem here. Make him destroy that human. I want to hear his screams from the stars."

Kisara was about to nod when the dragon twisted in the air, screaming as its bonded human impacted with the ground, merely feeling the pain of the horrible injuries. The white dragon darted out to catch the other dragon, holding them both up in the air before plunging her claws into the orange dragon's heart. It gave a happy sigh before slumping. Kisara gave a soft coo, gently guiding the dragon back to the ground and arranging it there. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as she realized how desperate this dragon had been, willing to kill himself by a fall from the sky. She brushed her claws over his head, stopping when she saw the streaks of blood that she left behind. Kisara turned to look at her claws, staring in horror at the blood that still dripped from them.

She had never killed for a reason other than food; there had been no reason for it. She had see Atem kill for seemingly no reason before, but always had grudgingly admired her friend for being able to shove it off and continue to live. But this was a shock to her. She had always been the weak one, the one who needed the protection of the others. The one who was always cringing behind Atem and pleading for mercy. What had happened to that dragon? Where was she hiding? Something had changed in the past few years and, while she no longer felt like she was weak, she was aware of her limits and no longer allowed them to be the idea that she dwelled on. She had changed without noticing it.

Carefully, she wiped the blood from her claws, examining them in the sunlight before turning to look back at the white castle that was glowing in the sunlight. She snarled as she realized that another dragon had lifted off, heading for the south. She almost wanted to go after the dragon herself, but she wasn't sure that she could stand being the murderer of another of her kind. Besides, she had a promise to fulfill. Kisara launched herself into the air again, flying quickly for the castle. She circled over the structure once before coming in for a landing, the wind sweeping humans to the side. Kisara lowered his head and hissed, stalking over to the smaller white dragon. Keeping an eye on the rest of the humans, she found the bracket that secured the chains to the ground, grunting as she tore it from the stone. Working quickly, Kisara loosed the dragon on one side and backed away, hissing at the badly healed injuries that littered the dragon's body.

On his part, Paladin merely gave himself a shake before smiling at her. He darted away, heading away from where the second dragon and knight had gone, probably trying to find a place where he could heal in safety. Kisara smiled after him, absently kicking chains out of her way before she walked over to Akhnamkanon, leaning over to claw at the brackets. She had to jump to the side as the black dragon moved his head, snapping at her feet. Kisara snarled at the dragon before returning to her station. "I'm trying to help you!"

"Save yourself first!" Akhnamkanon jerked his head in the direction of the king, Kisara having ignored him this long. The white dragon swallowed nervously as Gozaburo pulled out his sword, advancing towards them. Kisara looked back down at Akhnamkanon, pleading with her eyes. The black dragon shook his head. "Save your family first."

"Kisara!" She spun around at Seto's call, quickly hurrying over to her mate and crouching by him, head turned so that she could still see Gozaburo. Seto also had his sword out, glaring at his father as he pointed it at the king. "Go upstairs and get Mokuba. Get everything you two will need to survive for a while."

She nodded, quickly shifting back to her human form before dashing back inside. She winced at the feel of cold stone under her feet, quickly scrambling up the stairs to the second level of the castle before she rushed to their chambers, slamming the door behind her as she darted in. Kisara leaned back against the door to catch her breath before rushing over to her closet, pulling a simple dress from it and slipping it on. She glanced down at shoes before forgoing them. Instead, she snatched up a pack from the closet and began to pile stuff in it, remembering to include clothes for Mokuba. Slinging the pack over her shoulder, Kisara scooped up the squalling baby and rushed from the rooms, taking the servant's entrance to the castle.

As expected, Seto was waiting for her there, grabbing her arm and hauling her toward the stable. She barely had time to think before Mokuba was taken from her so she could mount the horse, the infant passed up to her before Seto swung astride the animal. He turned the horse for the exit, giving the animal a sharp kick in the sides. Kisara yelped, leaning back against her mate as the horse bolted from the stables, galloping for the front gates. She kept her tight hold on Seto as he urged the horse to greater speed once it was away from the castle, a screech from behind making Kisara peer around her mate. The woman gasped as she saw the brown and purple rising from the castle, the dragon screaming as it turned abruptly and swooped down toward them. She heard Seto curse before he leaned slightly more forward, protecting them with his own body.

The attack that was expected never came. Instead, there was the sound of another pair of wings and a strong wind as something moved over them. Kisara tensed at the scent of fire, looking up to see Paladin execute a back flip in the air to take him away from the singed Rex, chortling to himself before he began to skim along the ground beside Seto. He nodded to the two before looking over his shoulder. "I'll keep him occupied, Kisara."

Seto nodded for her, the horse bolting at the sight of a dragon so close. Kisara winced as the animal stumbled, trying not to fall off as the horse slipped over the slope. Her other arm wrapped more tightly around her son, wishing that she could calm his frightened screaming. The poor boy probably didn't know what had happened to him, just snatched up from his nap and carried off. Part of her wished that she had stayed as a dragon so that she could help defend her family instead of leaving it up to Paladin, who was still injured. But she didn't have the strength for another transformation, leaving her to cling to Seto.

She let out a sigh of relief as the horse leapt the last foot to flat ground, tossing its head as Seto turned it around. He glanced back up the hill, shifting in the saddle before turning the horse in a certain direction, aiming for the pine woods that lined the boarder of the kingdom. Seto urged the animal back into a full gallop, Paladin skimming by to launch another attack before pushing off the ground with a grunt to slam his shoulders into Rex's belly. The purple and brown dragon let out a roar of anger, slashing at the smaller white dragon and missing as Paladin darted away. Kisara gave a slow shake of her head, watching the deadly dance above her head, almost not noticing the slowing of the horse's stride until she pitched forward with the change.

Seto's hands on her hips encouraged her to slide back, sitting more comfortably in the saddle as he slid off the animal. Kisara reached out for him, catching his hand as Seto tried to pull away. "What are you doing?"

"The horse can't carry us both long enough for us to get away. Now go, that dragon will protect you."

"Seto!"

"No arguments." Seto looked up at his son a brief smile crossing his face. "Keep him safe. I want to see you both when this all is over."

He slapped the horse on the rump, the animal taking off despite Kisara's protests. She grimly gripped the reins with one hand, hating Seto's logic as the horse raced for the forest, Paladin following close as he continued to distract Rex from attacking directly. Of course Seto would be right, he would have to be right and then decide to protect them. She bit her lip to keep from screaming. Her mate could be so stubborn!

Kisara looked over her shoulder, seriously contemplating turning back when she saw Rex swoop down, snatching up Seto in his claws before returning to the castle. Paladin stopped, giving a keen before flipping again and skimming next to Kisara, shaking his head. "I'm sorry. I couldn't stop him."

"I know. And we will get him back." Kisara spoke the words through gritted teeth, tears falling from her eyes. They had taken him from her. They had stolen something precious to her. These humans, they would pay with their lives.

Now she could understand how Atem could kill so easily. It was so clear when the only emotion left was rage, the cold anger that left the mind unencumbered and ready to plan. Now, she could do anything unhindered by her past prohibitions. They had stolen Seto from her, taken her mate away without her permission, leaving her alone with only their son. And that was a bad position to have left her in. Did Gozaburo not know what happened when a female of any species was left to defend their young? Anything could happen. Her grip on the reins tightened, glancing up at the sky towards the south. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the dragon and his knight still flying away. She should take care of that, since no one else would.

Kisara growled, the sound dying in her throat as a roar shattered the silence. She pulled the horse up abruptly, Paladin landing beside her and crouching on the ground, trembling as the echoes came back on them. The echoes were not even allowed to stop before another roar came, this one even more chilling than the first. Kisara held Mokuba closer to her, trying to calm her son as the new roar echoed around the valley. She tried to turn her horse away, feeling the animal begin to tremble as it because too much for it. Before she could complete the move, something shot out of the nearby forest, easily gaining a high altitude before the thing had to open its wings, the edges of the membrane red in the sunlight. Kisara felt her own mouth fall open in shock as Atem tossed back his head and gave another roar.

* * *

How dare he?

How dare he move against his home?

Better yet, how dare that dragon to obey the orders willingly?

Atem narrowed his eyes as he pulled out of his hover, diving from his height to gain speed, smirking as he saw the dragon look over his shoulder nervously. He flapped his own wings faster, easily making better time than the dragon with the knight on its back. After all, he was barely larger than this dragon and better at flying, the thin membranes that this dragon had making him slow and cautious. Atem snarled as he caught up to the dragon, rolling under the nervously twitching claws before coming up in front of the dragon and grabbing its muzzle. Atem winced as he quickly shifted to a hover, his muscles protesting the move as he hauled the dragon's eyes up to meet his, blue clashing with red. Atem chuckled as he heard the human scramble to stay on the dragon's back, ignoring the human in the next moment as he closed his claws more securely around the dragon's muzzle.

"What are you doing, Weevil?"

"Following orders." Atem thought he saw resolve pass through the green dragon, Weevil trying to straighten himself up. "Like you should be."

"Say that again." Atem snarled and leaned closer to the dragon, baring his teeth as he watched Weevil squirm.

"We never would have done this if you had just listened to all of us and _died_!" Weevil dug his claws into Atem, ripping through scales and coming dangerously close to his heart. The black and red dragon released Weevil with a scream of pain, back winging as he tried to get away from the claws. He looked down at his chest and stomach, scowling at the blood that was running down it. Somewhere, Yugi would be feeling the same pain, all because of Weevil. Atem jerked his head back up with a growl, his smirk returning as Weevil backed away, looking around to find a way out.

"Are you going to beg for mercy, Weevil?" Atem chuckled to himself, pulling himself nearly upright. His muscles complained against this move too, the hover harder now to hold up against the pull of gravity. But effect was worth it. Now, the sun could tint parts of his body and wings red, and it would make him look bigger than he actually was. Enough to make Weevil wish that he had never agreed to share his heart with a worthless human under Gozaburo. He stared at Weevil, waiting for any response from the dragon.

There was none. Even the knight on his back was silent. Atem fought back the urge to laugh, instead just lashing his tail. "No? Fine then."

He didn't want to kill Weevil now. No. He wanted to completely annihilate him. He wanted to show him what he thought about the betrayal that Weevil had participated in, wanted to get his revenge against the injury of his mate. Atem reached out with a snarl, claws sinking to Weevil's, muzzle and neck as he hauled the dragon closer. "I would have thought that you would think twice before attacking me."

Weevil looked around frantically before his eyes settled on Atem's chest, looking over the bloodstained scales where his heart was. Atem snarled as Weevil made a sound of disgust, refraining from digging his claws deeper into the annoying green dragon. "I forgot. You actually enjoy being bonded to your human, Atem. It's too bad I couldn't-"

The rest of the sentence was cut off as Atem snarled, shoving Weevil away as flames licked at the bad of his throat. He didn't want to hear the rest of what the dragon would say, knowing that it would do nothing to ease his temper. Instead, Atem opened his mouth and allowed the fire to come out, the flames licking at Weevil's hide. Both the dragon and the human screamed, Weevil trying to extract himself from the stream of fire. Atem scowled at the move before, shutting his mouth, wincing as the fire burned the roof of it.

Fighting off the increasingly uncomfortable feeling, Atem forced Weevil closer to the ground, swooping over the green dragon to slash through his wing membrane and over his back. Weevil screamed in pain, scrambling to his feet as he landed on the ground. Atem touched down a mere second after him, watching in amusement as the dragon and human tried to escape their separate ways. Atem sent the human flying into a tree with a flick of his tail, ignoring the whimpers of pain as he strode over to Weevil, pressing the writhing dragon into the ground. Black tendrils of magic closed around the other dragon's neck, stomach and tail, keeping him pinned to the ground as Atem stepped back, tipping his head to the side.

Weevil had only a moment to wait before Atem unleashed his fire again, the green dragon screaming as he was burned alive. The black and red dragon narrowed his eyes against the glow from the fire, the center already turning a deep blue from the heat he was putting out. And still Weevil hadn't been destroyed. He snapped the magical bindings easily through the dead dragon's body, breaking it up as it finally succumbed to the dark flames.

Atem cut off the stream of fire, swaying for a moment before circling around the still burning body. He looked back at the human, knowing that the knight was dead by now, long dead since his dragon had perished. The black and red dragon sighed before giving his wings a feeble beat to put out the flames, watching pieces of ashes dance in the wind. Now that there was nothing left, Atem had the horrible feeling that he had gone too far, even though he had curbed his temper more than usual.

Weakly, he walked away from the ashes, shouldering through the trees and out into the open, nearly collapsing. He winced, closing his eyes for a moment. Yes, he had done something incredibly stupid. The combination of magic and producing fire at a far higher temperature than he was used to had exhausted him completely. Atem opened his eyes, wincing as he moved and stretched the wounds on his chest. What he wanted right now was to curl up with Yugi and Kysen, both his anger and energy spent.

He lifted his head, searching for the place that he had left them. Turning slightly, Atem began to trudge back to the place where his mate was waiting for him, head dropping as he forced himself to keep going. He managed to laugh at himself; his poor mate had to care for his child as well as Atem while Atem did almost nothing to help besides edging himself closer a useless state.

Atem stopped at the sound of hoof beats, pausing with one foot still in the air as he turned to look at the source of the sound. His mouth dropped open as he saw Kisara and a small white dragon running towards him. He barely had time to put his foot down for balance before the white dragon barreled into him, knocking him flat on his back with his breath escaping in one long rush. He gave a weak cough before trying to shove Paladin off him, hissing at the pain that his wounds caused.

The smaller white dragon got the hint, clambering away and looking at Kisara. The human woman smiled at him, pulling her horse to a stop beside him. Atem gave a nod to his friend before standing up slowly and beginning to walk back toward where he had left his mate. He was not surprised when Paladin and Kisara followed him, even ducking under the branches of the trees. Atem growled as Paladin tried to dash ahead, not in the mood for the dragon's bouncy behavior.

He turned around as Paladin tensed, his head lifting to sniff the wind. "Atem, there are humans here."

"Yes." Atem nodded at Kisara before looking back into the forest, mentally calculating how long it would be until he reached Yugi, wanting nothing more than to curl up and sleep for a while. "I brought my mate with me."

"But…oh…" Paladin looked embarrassed, scuffing at the ground before running to catch up to Atem. "I thought they were all joking when they said that."

"Who was joking, Atem?"

The black and red dragon sighed, ready to answer her question when he heard a soft curse. His head whipped around in the direction of the sound, irritation forgotten as he recognized the voice. Cautiously, Atem moved towards the area the sound had come from, using his claws to pull apart the budding branches, a smile on his face as he spotted Yugi, struggling to untangle himself. He helped his mate free, backing away as Yugi stumbled back into the open, the smile on his face disappearing when Yugi motioned for him to come closer.

He hissed as Yugi brushed a hand over one of his wounds, the prince wincing as well. Atem gave a little whine and lowered his head, nudging his mate as Yugi rubbed his chest. "Are you okay, love?"

"Yeah, but I'm more worried about you. That one really hurt you." Yugi hugged him close, giving him a kiss before pulling away. He frowned, running his hand over Atem's check. "You're cold."

The dragon nodded, nudging Yugi back in the direction of their temporary camp. "I'll be fine. Food and rest and I'll be back to normal." Atem gave a purr, smile twitching at the corner of his mouth as Yugi groaned at the vibrations. "I just overexerted myself."

"Atem!" The dragon winced, looking back over his shoulder at Kisara, who had slid down from her horse. The animal gave a snort, dancing at the end of the reins. A growl from Kisara stopped the horse before the woman led the animal closer to Atem. The black and red dragon tensed at the glare that she was giving him, realizing that she had just realized how bad he looked. Atem sighed and pressed his head against Yugi, not wanting to face his friend at the moment.

He knew how sickly he looked when compared to the others, still not able to gain the weight he had lost with the life he was leading. Constant movement and fights hadn't done anything to improve his diet. Not to mention the added worry of caring for his mate and son in enemy territory. While he wasn't exactly skeletal anymore, bones were still visible through his scales.

At the thought, he partially opened his wings and pressed them against his sides, leaning into Yugi as he felt Kisara reach out to touch him with one hand. He shuddered as Kisara gasped, yanking her hand away like she had been burned. The black and red dragon shifted away from her, nudging Yugi to start walking. The prince gently pushed on his head, encouraging Atem to look up at him. He complied, blinking at Yugi as the prince smiled. "Let's get you back."

He followed Yugi, readjusting his wings so he could fit through the tight spaces more easily, wincing when he heard the sound of Kisara and Paladin following them as well. As much as he was relieved that his friend was alright, he didn't need her worrying over him at the moment. And he didn't need the smaller white dragon tagging along. He just wanted an afternoon to himself without anyone begging for explanations.

The sound of a baby crying drew his attention. He looked down at Yugi who didn't look as worried. "He's probably just woken up from his nap and is missing you. He won't be hungry for another few minutes. That demand sounds entirely different from this one."

Atem chuckled and lurched into a jog, ducking to avoid a branch as he entered into the large clearing that they had found. He saw Yugi dash ahead of him, laughing as he saw Ryou looking confused and stressed as he held Kysen, eagerly passing the infant off to Yugi. Atem arrived a second behind Yugi, dropping his muzzle down as the sobs slowed to a stop, the baby sniffing at the presence of his parents. It gave a happy coo, reaching up for Atem. The black and red dragon sighed, laying down on the ground before shifting so Kysen could reach him.

At first the baby seemed to calm, but it was only a moment before it stared up at him, tears forming again. Atem gave a rumble of confusion, pulling back and shooting a look at Yugi. The prince shrugged, "You feel colder than normal, and it is noticeable. It might scare or confuse him." Atem hung his head, looking up as Yugi rested a hand on him. "Marik will be back with food soon. Just relax until then.

"But first," Yugi gave the dragon a playful shove, "onto your back."

"Taking advantage of my vulnerability, my heart?" Atem laughed as he complied, watching as Yugi blushed.

"No!" There was a spark of interest in the violet eyes at the hidden invitation, but it disappeared quickly. "I don't want those to get infected."

Atem pressed his head back against the ground, watching as Kysen was passed back to Ryou, the poet looking frazzled. The distraught look on his face earned a bark of laughter from Bakura, who was reclining against a tree. The poet quickly walked over to his lover, glaring at him before sitting down and snuggling against him. Per usual, the show of affection quieted Bakura as the thief took the opportunity to give Ryou a hug before removing Kysen from the poet's nervous hold.

The dragon blinked as Yugi snatched up his pack, digging a small jar out of it before rushing back to him. Atem lay still as Yugi clambered up onto him, staring at the wounds before shaking his head and opening the jar. Atem's nostrils wrinkled as he caught the scent of one of Solomon's salves, guaranteed to speed healing time. But he also remembered that it burned when applied. He groaned, readying himself for torture. Yugi laughed, stroking the scales nearest to him. "It's not that bad."

Kisara and Paladin entered the clearing, Atem closing his eyes as they both immediately walked over to where he was, Kisara pausing to loop the reins of the horse over a tree. The sounds of a baby crying made Atem open his eyes again, resisting the urge to jump up and see to Kysen with Yugi still perched on him. The black and red dragon blinked slowly as the unfamiliarity of the sounds registered, craning his head back to see Kisara working on calming an infant in her arms, Paladin hovering nervously over her. Atem chuckled, the sound drawing her attention to him. "So I see that you and your mate had luck this year?"

He yelped at the sensation of burning on his chest, glancing back up at Yugi who gave a pained shrug. "You were distracted."

"You realize that I will have my revenge for this torture?" He smiled as Yugi laughed, the prince stretching out to rub the scales on his belly. Atem groaned, throwing his head back, claws twitching slightly. He heard Yugi burst out laughing again, opening one eye to glare at his mate.

Instead of being intimidated, Yugi shook his head and moved to the next wound, beginning to spread the salve. Atem bared his teeth against the pain, tail lashing as he fought against making a keen of pain. He could feel Yugi leaning heavily on one hand as the other painted the salve over his wounds, the fingers digging into Atem's skin. He glanced up at Yugi, relaxing as the burning faded, both of them recovering from the pain. Together, the stared at the remaining wounds, already feeling that there were too many.

"Atem?" The black and red dragon let his head fall back to the ground, looking at Kisara as she carefully walked up, giving Yugi a weak smile. "I guess I was right when I said that you would save him."

He nodded, trying to get a good look at the baby that Kisara held. The woman chuckled, holding the infant out so they could see it. Atem heard Yugi gasp, the prince leaning over to see the child better. His red eyes moved back to his mate as Yugi spoke. "That looks a lot like…"

Kisara nodded, smiling down at her child. "Seto thought so too."

"Seto?" Yugi lost his balance, falling off the dragon. Atem grunted and moved quickly, rolling to his side and catching Yugi. The prince gaze a weak smile, holding onto Atem as the dragon lowered him back to the ground, snatching up the jar before going back to work. The black and red dragon turned his head to watch his mate, noticing how distracted he looked. "So, you and Seto?"

"Yes." Kisara was blushing now, not even looking at Yugi. Atem felt her eyes running over him as a distraction from Yugi. "We've been helping each other survive…"

She trailed off, eyebrows lowering as she frowned. Atem grunted as Yugi spread more of the salve on his wounds, digging his claws into the ground. With his back turned to the woman, Yugi didn't see her expression, continuing on. "I don't mind. It's just good that he has someone. Last one, Atem." The last part of the sentence was addressed to the dragon, who gave a stiff nod and shifted so that Yugi could reach the last wound, this one running down onto his stomach. "He doesn't really open up to anyone anymore. I was worried about him, it can't be good to keep everything all pent up."

Atem looked back over at Kisara as she followed Yugi as the prince came to the end of the wound, petting Atem's stomach before backing away to search for the top to the jar which had been lost when Atem had caught Yugi. The red and black dragon gave a trill of thanks to his mate before a gasp from Kisara brought his attention back to Kisara, Yugi sticking close to him at the sound.

Her touch on the lower half of his stomach surprised him, inhaling to draw his scales away from her touch before relaxing. He propped himself up, staring at where Kisara was tracing over the old scar. She pulled her hand back before backing away from him, looking up at his side, where the skin was pulled taught over bones. "What happened to you, Atem?"

The black and red dragon jumped as she burst into tears, rushing back up to his head and running her hand over it. He could tell that Yugi and Paladin had no idea what to do as well, staying where they were and watching in confusion. He was also shocked that Kisara had reacted like this, bursting into tears instead of searching for a solution. Something must have happened before she came here, something that she was still trying to work herself over. And that was why she was so focused on him.

Carefully, Atem nudged her back, rolling completely onto his stomach. He glanced up as Kysen began sobbing, demanding food. He gave Yugi a pleading look as the prince scurried off to retrieve his son. He wanted Yugi by him while he dealt with Kisara. The prince gave a nod, quickly retrieve their son and all the things that he would need as Kisara sat down by Atem's foreleg, leaning carefully back against him, shuddering at the temperature. He gave a soft trill as she wiped the tears off her cheeks, glancing up as Paladin settled down by them as well.

"I'm sorry, Atem. It's just becoming too much." She finally got a hold of herself, the old resolve returning to her blue eyes, not elaborating on her last statement as she stared at him. "Tell me what happened Atem."

The black and red dragon waited until Yugi was cuddled close to him, taking the time to greet his son before looking back at Kisara, noticing that the woman had leaned forward to peer at Kysen, confusion in her eyes. Atem rested his head on the ground, close to Yugi. "I hid in a cave, the one by the waterfall, for four years. I was the crazy dragon that all the knights talked about. It didn't lend itself to any kind of lifestyle."

"But where did you get that scar, Atem?"

"Timaeus." Atem looked away at her gasp, his tail flicking from side to side. "It wasn't the way you think. I was…sick and it was the only way to cure me."

He didn't want to go into all of the details, already watching Yugi suppress shudders at the memory. He didn't want to think about that time at all, his memories of that time containing pain and hallucinations of Yugi. Atem shot a glare at Paladin to keep the smaller dragon silent, smirking as the white dragon yelped and ducked his head under his wing.

"Oh," Kisara nodded, still seemingly distracted by something. Atem gave a trill, the sound making her look up. "You survived. If you can, then I can."

He narrowed his eyes at the comment, tilting his head as he studied his friend. "Kisara, what happened?"

She lowered her head, hair hanging in front of her face as she stared down at her son. Atem blinked slowly, returning his head back to its former position, hearing Yugi shift forward also. He tensed as he heard her sniff, finally looking up and brushing away stray tears that had fallen from her eyes. Atem was about to ask her again when she shook her head. "They took him away from me, Atem. They took my mate."

* * *

Seto winced as his head hit the wall of the dungeon, rubbing it irritably while he stared at his father. Gozaburo simply smirked at him, striding into the cell without a care. After all, what did he have to worry about? Seto had no weapons and he was completely at the mercy of his father, he couldn't escape without that damn dragon catching him. And he couldn't run in case he led them right to Kisara and Mokuba.

He pulled his hand away from the back of his head, staring at it to check for blood before sitting back and crossing his arms, waiting out his father. Fortunately for him, Gozaburo's patience was beaten down by his pride. "So, you thought you could get them all away safely."

"It worked."

"No, Seto. You are still here and they are out there, among the peasants who hate us. Do you honestly think that she will last long without you, the weak girl that she is?"

Seto fought to keep the smirk off his face, knowing that his father had badly misjudged Kisara. She would be fine. He only worried that she would try and rescue him without a stable plan. He had seen her in anger, hot-headed and temperamental, dangerous to herself. Hopefully, the presence of the other dragon and their son would make her think things through clearly before acting. Better yet, Seto hoped that she found a place to raise Mokuba to adulthood and wait to save him. While he hated the idea of being held against his will, there was nothing else yet to do. It was now the peasants' move.

Now was their chance to attack the castle, while Gozaburo had only one dragon and far too few soldiers to protect him. But that would mean that they would have to get over their fear of the king and be willing to work together long enough to accomplish this feat. If only it was safe enough for Mahad to bring Yugi's son down or Yugi himself showed up to boost the peasants' courage. Then things would finally get done.

He jerked away as Gozaburo made to grab his shoulder, stumbling back from his father, his hand still going for the sword that wasn't there. The king glared, hand falling back to his side. "I had everything planned for you. You could have had the world, Seto, you were strong enough."

"This kingdom is Yugi's, not yours, not mine." Seto rocked back onto his heels, the small motion keeping him away from Gozaburo's mad swipe. "I don't want what world you can give to me. I can take what I want all on my own. I have never needed your help, _father_, and I never will."

"I am your king, Seto. You-"

"No." Seto cut him off, blue eyes flashing dangerously. "You are not my king. I do not bow to you; I will only kneel to Yugi and no one else."

"Your king is dead, Seto." Gozaburo was grinning, but there was a hint of insecurity in the gaze.

Seto raised one eyebrow. "So says you."

Gozaburo froze in his advance, a tremble running through his body before he backed out of the cell, slamming the door. Seto remained in place as he heard the grinding of metal as the door was locked. He only moved then, walking with long strides to the door and leaning against it. His father could be heard storming away, the echoes of his shouts still reverberating. "Only give him water, no food. I want him to be begging me for his life when this is all over."

"So you think, father," Seto mumbled to himself as he pushed away from the door, his cold blue eyes scanning over the cell. It had four stone walls, the stone beginning to slow decline into the mildewed look that most dungeons possessed, one of the walls having the wooden door in it. Seto tapped once on the wooden door, humming at the solid sound that came back to him. A heavy wooden door that would open inward, forcing him to be the one who stepped back and acting as a barrier to those who entered. In the corner there was a torn blanket over a pile of straw, the former probably only there because some maid had heard that he would be spending the rest of his days down here and wanted to show some pity.

Seto crossed the room, sitting on the straw and blanket before leaning back against the wall, staring at the ceiling above him. He didn't bother trying to figure out where his cell was in the castle and what room it was under. Even if he found a way to talk to the people above, they wouldn't do anything to help him out. They could only rebel in subtle ways, like the blanket, as that was all their fear allowed them to do. But he was grateful for the little rebellions. Eventually, even if he was long gone before then, the peasants would have the strength to throw Gozaburo and any of his heirs from the throne. Seto was a patient man.

His only goal was to get out of this prison and find Kisara. He would gladly slip into hiding with them and wait out the end of Gozaburo as it was the only thing he could do now. He had moved too soon, showing that he would support Kisara, and therefore the peasants, over his father. And, this time, Gozaburo had believed that the decision was made by him and not a delusion fed by Kisara. Unfortunate, yes, but there were always worse things.

The brunette shifted into a more comfortable position, letting his eyes close as he dozed. For now, he could only wait and plan, plotting for that one moment when a guard would slip up or a moment of rebellion would allow him to pass into the castle and escape. Until then, he would rest from the intrigues of the court.

* * *

Mahad pulled his horse up, mouth dropping open as he saw what the peasants had set up. He paused before urging his horse forward, steering it around a bunch of peasants who were charging at trees with sharpened and fire-hardened stakes. His horse tossed its head, probably picking up on the atmosphere that they hadn't been in for years. Absently, he petted the horse's neck, looking up as a blonde stepped in front of him, crossing his arms.

The knight signaled his horse to stop, looking over his shoulder to see the peasants with the sharpened stakes lining up behind him. Mahad shrugged and looked back at the blonde, surprised to see a badly burnt black haired man standing but him. He gave a respectful nod of his head, knowing that this arrangement was a subtle way of surrounding him, much more complex than he thought that peasants could accomplish.

"What are you doing here?" The question came from the blonde, the black haired man taking a step forward to stand by his horse. Mahad had to pull his gaze away from the burn marks on the man's neck, not wanting to be caught staring and, possibly, insult the peasants. He looked up, eyes widening as he saw more peasants practicing with bows and arrows and some more awkwardly swinging farm implements. He blinked and shook his head, looking back down at the blonde.

"I came to find the village where Tèa lived, but I found it burnt to the ground. So I sought out where the people would be hiding and found you here."

"Tèa?" The blonde broke into a smile, the expression making Mahad wince. He didn't want to be the one to break the news to these people. He didn't want to watch as their spirits broke. He didn't want to be the one who watched them go back to their hopeless lives, all because he had been unable to do one thing. He hadn't been able to protect a young woman from Gozaburo. Mahad slumped in the saddle with a sigh.

Why had he thought that he would be able to protect her in the first place? After all, he had been the one who had lost Yugi to the dragon. He had been unable to protect his charge, the one he had looked after since his birth in the most important of all situations. Why would have he been able to care for the safety of one young woman and her child?

He flinched as the blonde bounded forward, all the peasants suddenly dropping their alert stances. "How is she?"

Mahad swallowed harshly, forcing himself to stare at the blonde. "The baby was a boy."

There was a cheer from the crowd, all except for the burned man. Mahad watched him frown, knowing that the man had noticed his avoidance of the question. The man tipped his head to the side, raising an eyebrow as he did so. Yes, Mahad would have to explain it all. Maybe here he would father enough allies to take Tèa's son away from the dragon and help the infant back to a normal life; his father would take more help.

Mahad cleared his throat as the chaos died, leaving him nervously shifting on his horse. After a split second decision, Mahad dismounted, resting a hand on the blonde's shoulder in a compassionate gesture. "They died."

"W…what?" The blonde took a step back, Mahad's right hand dropping to his side, twitching in readiness to reach for his sword. He turned as the black haired man took a step forward, scowling threateningly. The blonde recovered his powers of speech a mere moment later. "You were supposed to protect them!"

"I did to the best of my abilities, but Gozaburo's knight got there before I could. He would have killed the child but…" Mahad gave a shrug, not really wanting to admit that a dragon had succeeded where he had failed. He sighed, running a hand through his short black hair. "The baby is safe. Unnamed, but safe, I promise you that."

"Then where is he?" It was the black haired man that spoke this time, green eyes narrowed in anger.

"Yugi has him." Mahad nearly growled as the peasants broke out into whispers. "Yugi was the one who saved his son. He was the one who killed the knight and the dragon!"

"I heard that he commanded a dragon to save a village in the north!"

After the first peasant cried out, there were nods, encouraging another to speak. "I saw that same dragon attack one of Gozaburo's dragons this afternoon!"

"Our prince has come back to defend us! He seeks vengeance against the false king!"

The blonde shot Mahad a sideways glance before raising his hands. "And he now protects our future king! Let's use this to our advantage and strike as he whittles down Gozaburo's strongest forces. We can still bring this tyrant down!"

"Create a battle flag!"

"Yes, something to strike fear in their hearts!"

"Black and red, like the dragon!"

"Yes, black and red!"

The blonde looked away, watching the peasants return to their tasks, a few breaking off to produce the proposed banner. Their leader turned a steady glare to the knight, the burned man coming to stand next to him. Mahad returned their stares and waited for their judgment. It was what he deserved for betraying their trust like that. The blonde was, surprisingly, the first to look away. "You can find Yugi and bring him here. If we are working for the same goal, we could at least talk to each other."

Mahad gave a nod and swung onto his horse. He sent the animal forward in a gallop, heading for the place that he had first seen that accursed dragon break through the trees. His hands clenched on the reins as he fought back a growl. The peasants would worship the dragon and the man they thought commanded the creature, but Mahad knew the truth. He just couldn't see why the creature would care about them. It was probably some twisted joke on the part of the dragon. And he would not allow the creature to use Yugi and the prince's son like that.

* * *

_Read and review please. Criticism is always welcome._


	16. War Cries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I merely own bits of the plot and Kysen.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they both belong to their respective owners. I merely own bits of the plot and Kysen.

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Chapter Sixteen: War Cries   
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_With freedom and peace to fight for,  
The villagers marched off to war. _   
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The stars seemed dimmer tonight, fitting since it matched his mood. His eyes automatically sought out the dragon constellation in the sky, leaning back against Atem's warmth with a sigh. At least his lover was back to normal, and was sleeping off the deer he had just consumed. Yugi gave a faint smile, running his hand over the dragon's head, earning a purr from the creature. His smile disappeared, still not perfectly content. Seto was still at the mercy of Gozaburo, and Yugi had a feeling that it would end badly for his cousin unless something was done. He leaned forward and rested his hands against his knees.

"What's bothering you, my heart?" the warm breath across his back relaxed him. Yugi turned his head slightly to see Atem, leaning back against the dragon. He glanced at his side where Kysen lay, fast asleep, chuckling at the grip that the baby had on the tip of Atem's tail. Assured that his son was fine, Yugi looked at the dragon, Atem gently nudging his leg with the tip of his muzzle. In response, Yugi held open his arms, inviting Atem to rest his head in his lap and cuddling the dragon close when Atem accepted his invitation.

"All of this. It's gone too far and we're the ones that have to stop it." He paused, looking over where Kisara slept, Paladin curled around her. Yugi remembered her crying herself to sleep, trying to hold the sobs in before finally allowing them loose, but even then they were muffled. She was trying to be strong despite of all that had happened. Even Bakura, Ryou and Marik were looking hassled, the usual ease of their interaction fading. This whole idea was stretching them to their limits, when they all just wanted to find a place where they could relax.

He ran a hand over his face, tipping his head to look back at the stars. "I have a duty to my people, but I spend all the time wishing that we could go back south, away from all of this. I hate that I ran away for so long, I hate that I was too weak to fight back. But, I wouldn't trade any of my time with you to get what I want. We're all so close to breaking."

Atem nodded in agreement, crimson eyes rolling up to look at the stars as well. They spent a few moments in companionable silence before Atem gently pressed closer to Yugi. "You would be a great king, Yugi. I know it."

"But…"

The dragon snorted, the sound cutting Yugi off. "You _would_ be a great king, that doesn't mean that you should be king. You have a cousin that could do the job well enough, and the peasants would accept him. It is fine to want something for yourself."

"I'm their prince, Atem."

"I understand that, Yugi. But you always have the choice to abdicate, and then you'll be free." Yugi heard the implied 'and you could stay with me', even if Atem didn't voice it. He stroked the dragon, his arms tightening around Atem's head. It was still a frightening concept; that everything that they had built together could be torn apart in mere moments. And it left them clinging to each other in desperation, not wanting to be broken past the point of no return. Because they both knew that they would fail if that happened. Atem gave a hum as Yugi found the one spot above his eye. "And then it would be just you, me and Kysen; as long as we live."

"Sounds nice." The prince found the dragon constellation in the sky, smiling as he stared at in. In a way, it resembled Atem. But, in a way, it resembled every dragon that he had seen if one looked at it right. He tipped his head to the side, listening to Atem laugh as the dragon watched him.

"What are you doing?"

"Star gazing." Atem looked up at the sky, Yugi guiding him to the constellation that he was looking at. "That one."

"Oh." Atem sobered for a minute before laughing, the sound slightly strained. "My least favorite of all the stars in the sky."

"Why?"

"It's a reminder of everything." Atem stared at Yugi, the prince clearly seeing the debate in his lover's eyes before the dragon looked back at the constellation. "The stories say that the first Morningstar created that out of her own body, a place for all the good dragons to go after their lives. They say that, because she gave up her life for every dragon, the gods put her likeness, and the likeness of every other Morningstar up there, as a reminder and for a guardian for our heaven. Every time I look up there, I see me. It's like a death sentence."

"I can see you up there," Yugi pressed a kiss to Atem's head as the dragon squirmed, "but I can also see others. It's a matter of perspective. But, that's a nice story, better than the ones that we have."

"And what's that?"

"Our fates are predetermined, but the priests always talk about how the nobility are sure to go to heaven in the end. Still, we never know. But people still try, even knowing that they might not get into paradise." Yugi shook his head. "I don't know what to think about it. I just feel that it might not be right."

"Sounds wrong." Atem was drifting back to sleep, encouraged by Yugi's rubbing fingers and his full stomach, the human laughing at the sleepy yawn that the dragon gave. Atem scowled at him before pushing Yugi back onto the ground, nudging his shirt out of the way before pressing his muzzle to the exposed skin.

Yugi clamped a hand over his mouth to keep from moaning too loud and waking Kysen. He was never prepared for how hot Atem was compared to his own body temperature. And it felt so good. Yugi pulled Atem's muzzle back down when the dragon went to move away, staring at his lover through lust filled eyes. The dragon smirked before purring, the vibrations making Yugi arch up, gasping for air as he breathed, "Atem, oh gods, please."

The dragon chuckled, but pulled his head away, keeping it low enough to hover over the frustrated human. Yugi made a weak swipe at Atem, the dragon easily pulling away from the blow, still laughing as Yugi pouted. "Spoil sport."

"Now, love, would you want to wake Kysen?" Yugi settled for a glare instead of a retort, preferring that to anything he could come up with. The prince sat up, stiffening and gasping as Atem worked the back of his shirt up and pressed his muzzle against the skin there. "On second thought, there are others who would watch him." Yugi nodded as he felt Atem begin to nuzzle his back, the action causing the shirt to ride up more. Impatiently, the prince tore the article of clothing off, nearly screaming as Atem took the moment to press his head against Yugi's back, feeling the claws of one foreleg beginning to carefully trace up his leg. "Or, you could just be really quiet."

Yugi was about to agree with Atem when he heard hoof beats, head turning in the direction of the sound. Usually Atem would have heard anyone coming close and stopped. But, apparently, Yugi had distracted him sufficiently enough to nearly ignore his surroundings. His thoughts disappeared the next moment as he felt Atem run his tongue along his spine, gasping at the feeling.

"Find some other human to molest, dragon." Atem growled, looking up from over Yugi's shoulder as Mahad rode into their clearing, the other dragons looking up at the sound. Yugi scurried for Kysen as the baby began to cry, angry at being woken suddenly from his sleep. He cooed to the infant, Atem curling closer to them. Kysen kept his grip on Atem's tail, a wince passing through the dragon showing that it had changed into a death grip at the sudden fear of seeing a strange man.

Mahad glared at Atem and Yugi, ignoring the growling dragon. "Put your shirt back on, we have to talk."

"Busy right now. You'll have to wait." Yugi felt odd snapping at his instructor like this, but he was feeling slightly angry himself. Mahad had no right to tell his lover off like that and Kysen had woken up, which meant that he would be occupied for a while calming the infant back down so they could sleep. Right now, he didn't want to hear anything Mahad had to say, especially since most of it was aimed at Atem. Out of petty spite, he stayed shirtless for a few moments longer until he remembered that Kisara was there was well, leaving Kysen in Atem's care as he hurried to pull the article of clothing back on, blushing furiously.

He was reaching out to accept Kysen from Atem when Kisara intercepted the infant, sitting back down on the ground with a smile. She nodded at where Mahad was tying his horse to a low branch. "You and Atem go and listen to him, he might have a plan to save Seto." Yugi sighed, Kisara taking the agreement as a sign of indecision. "Please, if we have one chance…"

Yugi gave a stiff nod, walking over to his former mentor with Atem at his side. The prince tensed as Mahad turned around quickly, scowling at the presence of the dragon before motioning Bakura and Ryou over. The two dragged themselves from the warmth that Marik offered, looking like they were going to fall asleep on their feet as Mahad crossed his arms. "The peasants have had enough, they plan to strike at the next possible moment." At Atem's snort of disbelief, Mahad glared at the dragon. "I've seen them and they are competent enough to take Gozaburo as his guard is now. They request your help with this overthrow."

"Me?"

"They think you have some sort of power over that beast." Mahad motioned at Atem, earning a growl from the dragon.

"'That beast' is standing right here and can understand everything that you are saying." Yugi rested a hand on Atem, calming the dragon down.

"Atem and I could help with the dragons."

"That's all I wanted to ask." Mahad glanced up at Atem before rolling his eyes, looking in disgust at the assembled dragons. "But, apparently, we'll have even more help than before."

Yugi shook his head. "Those two don't take part in this at all. We don't want them to get hurt."

"I suppose this 'we' is you and that creature."

Yugi silenced another growl from Atem, now scowling at his mentor. "Yes, because Atem and I care about what happens to our friends."

"They're not even intelligent-"

"Mahad." Yugi snapped out the name of his mentor as he patience shattered, the sound startling the knight into silence. The prince gave a sharp nod and crossed his arms, leaning back slightly. "I will help you with this, but I will _not_ tolerate you insulting the dragons. Are we clear?"

The knight gave a disgusted snort. "You sound like that dragon."

Yugi bit his lip to keep from commenting, turning his head away before sighing and looking back at his mentor. He was furious with Mahad for being so thick-headed, but he was too tired to keep it up. Right now he just wanted to curl up with Atem and sleep, but Mahad would expect them to go to the peasants to oversee the rebellion. He sighed and rubbed his forehead, relaxing when he felt Atem press his head against his back. Absentmindedly, Yugi reached back to pet the dragon, eyes going unfocused for a moment as Atem purred.

Mahad cleared his throat, bringing Yugi out of his daze and making Atem remove himself from Yugi. The prince nearly whimpered at the loss of contact, needing something to keep him from lashing out at the knight. He glanced down at the ground as he took a deep breath, slowly looking up at Mahad with a nod. "We'll follow you and speak to the leaders of this rebellion tonight."

The knight turned and strode back to his horse, leaving the small council to scatter. Yugi slumped and shuffled back over to Kysen, accepting him from Kisara and gently rocking the baby as he waited for the others to assemble. He jumped as the leather of his pack bumped gently against his side, smiling as he accepted the pack from Atem. The expression wavered as he looked at Atem for a moment, lowering his eyes as the dragon draped a wing over him, ducking his head to join Yugi under the wing.

Contact was reestablished instantly, Atem pressing his head against Yugi's side, both of them heaving a long sigh at the presence of the other. Hesitantly, Yugi placed a hand on Atem, leaning back against the dragon's head as he shivered. "I'm with you no matter what, Yugi."

"Let's get this over with." The prince reluctantly stepped away from Atem, waiting for Kisara and Mahad, who were both on horseback, to start off before following. Atem trailed behind him, always staying close enough that Yugi could feel his body heat, the simple presence of the dragon relaxing him.

Once they were all following Mahad, Yugi looked back over the group, closing his eyes with a sigh. They all looked so worn down. There was no way that the peasants would accept them like this. Apparently, he had been turned to a mystical being. It would be a harsh blow to their moral if their hero looked as ragged as he felt.

And what would they think of Atem? Would they treat him like the horses or other animals that were commonly seen? No brains and just a thing to be commanded? Yugi shuddered at the thought, not liking the idea at all. He knew that Atem was intelligent and he couldn't stand anyone belittling his lover. And he didn't want the peasants calling for Atem to do tricks or tasks for them like he was another one of their creatures. Yugi didn't want to see his proud dragon broken like that, all because he was helping Yugi.

He resisted the urge to scream in frustration, knowing that it wouldn't get him anywhere. When had life gotten so complicated? He couldn't remember it being this hard when he was younger, even when he had been on the run. But, the moment that he wanted something for himself, the world had to try and take it away. Was it too much to ask to be selfish for once? He had already played the part of the martyr and had lived; an experience that he didn't want to repeat again. Yugi blinked when he realized that he was rubbing the scar over his heart, forcing the hand down so he wouldn't jostle Kysen.

"Stay close to the shadows." Yugi obeyed Atem's command without question before he looked up at the dragon. Atem was staring up at the sky, wings twitching where they were folded on his back. Yugi kept quiet, motioning behind him for Bakura and Ryou to remain silent as well, Marik already searching the sky too. Up by the front, Kisara had also moved her horse closer to the shadows, only Mahad remaining oblivious to the threat that the dragons had sensed.

Yugi bit his lip to keep from making a sound, distracting Kysen with a finger to keep the baby from making a noise until Atem lowered his head. The prince shivered at the murderous look in the black and red dragon's eyes. He glanced back up at the sky, knowing whatever had attracted their attention was long gone by now, before questioning Atem. "What was it?"

"Rex." The dragon hissed out the name, teeth showing as he did so. Yugi tensed, holding Kysen more in the shadows in a protective stance. Atem shook his head, reassuring Yugi with the motion. The dragon wouldn't be this relaxed if Rex was coming for them now, but that still didn't mean that Yugi felt safe anymore. The prince took one more look up at the sky before staring at Atem, pleading for an answer. Atem complied, lowering his head and moving closer to Yugi. "He's probably out scouting for Gozaburo. It's getting too dangerous to move, especially with Rex working with them. It's only a matter of time before Gozaburo decides to force my father to do the same thing, although that might do the job for us."

Yugi reached out and stroked Atem's cheek, the corner of his mouth turning up in a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I wish that we could do this differently, I really do."

Atem shook his head, eyes staring at the ground. "You and me both, love. But he's suffered enough over these years and I have to at least stop him from suffering." He fell silent for a moment, glancing up at the sky. Yugi followed his gaze before looking down where he was going, not wanting to trip over a branch. Atem was staring up at the dragon constellation in the sky, a sorrowful look on his face. "He did it for me…and I owe him for that."

Yugi nodded, holding out his hand in an invitation for Atem to come back to him. The dragon took up the offer, resting his muzzle against Yugi's hand. The prince flipped his hand over, petting the dragon. Atem sighed, leaning into Yugi's touch as they walked along.

* * *

Gozaburo tapped the table before him before standing up and beginning to pace in front of the long table at the head of the hall. He glanced down at Lector where the knight knelt on the ground, ignoring the shivering man for the moment as he thought over what the knight had told him.

They had found the remains of the dragon that had gone to scout the south and east, or what little remained of it. The body of Nesbitt they had brought back to the castle for proper burial, which Gozaburo would leave up to the priests; he cared little for the knight. Especially when the person had failed him so spectacularly. He would have left Nesbitt to rot and be eaten by the forest animals for his failure, but he would not fault his knights for compassion, as long as it was not shown to their enemies. Still, he was down to only one dragon, one knight and a handful of loyal soldiers. Too low for the current situation.

Peasants had been leaving their villages for days, anticipating the next attack and leaving him without a work force and the fields unplowed. There would probably be a famine this winter because of the lack of crops, or most of the food ruined because of the frost because the peasants were too lazy to work. But that was the least of his worries as well. They were probably gathering together to try and overthrow him. Worse was the fact that a mere two villages would supply enough people to easily defeat him, and more villages were emptying by the day.

He lifted a hand to rub at his temples, his fingers bumping into the crown that he wore. Gozaburo snarled and ripped the crown from his head, staring at it for a moment before placing it back on his head. No matter what, he would not throw this crown away. He had worked hard to earn it, worked hard to keep it. Worked hard for that idiotic son of his to have it after him, which was never going to happen now. He shoved the crown back on his head and continued pacing, not really noticing that he had stopped.

He had to plan for the eventuality of his own death, no matter how distasteful the subject was to him. As he saw it, he had two options. One was to find a woman and marry her, thus producing a legitimate heir. Or he could simply steal Seto's son away from that woman and train him the right way. Either way would work and Gozaburo didn't really care which in the end. He just wanted an heir to carry on his line. He would probably end up doing both, just to have an heir and a spare, something that he had not accomplished before and was now paying the price.

Gozaburo snapped out of his thoughts as Lector cleared his throat, reminding the king of the presence of the loyal knight. He scowled down at the man before waving him off. "Double the guards and fly another scouting round tomorrow. I want to know what those peasants have planned."

"What about the dragon and the woman who escaped?"

"They'll come back. I have what they want, remember." Gozaburo scoffed as the knight dashed off to follow his orders, allowing himself to slump for a moment before walking outside, hoping some fresh air would cure his headache. He ignored the frantic bows of the servants and some of the soldiers, preferring to pretend that they didn't exist at the moment. He just stared at his feet, growling when they lead him to the corner of the courtyard where the dragon was tethered. Gozaburo glanced at the dragon, shaking his head when he realized the creature was smiling. "What are you so happy about?"

"I saw what happened. You're running out of people to hide behind, human."

The king leaned back against the nearest wall, frowning at the sudden spark of life in the dragon. He was too used to the creature being submissive and quiet. He absently scratched the back of his neck before looking up at the night sky. He rolled his head to the side at the faint clatter of feet running up stairs as his orders were carried out, returning his gaze to the dragon as the sound died out. "That shouldn't make you happy. The less people I have, the closer you are to your death."

"I beg for that time, human." The dragon strained forward, snapping his jaws shut a good distance away from Gozaburo. "I've seen my son flying around and beating down your captives. He's coming to kill you."

"Why should I be scared?"

The dragon gave a slow smile, tail twitching. "Just suffice to say that you should be. I eagerly await the time when you realize that you have underestimated everything."

Gozaburo waved the dragon off, relieved when the dragon said nothing more. He tensed as the chains rattled as the dragon sought a new position, only relaxing when he heard the creature's breathing even out. Abruptly, he decided that he had enough air for the evening and turned around to go back inside, slipping through the huge doors and heading for his chambers. He cast a single glance at the dungeons, smirking as he thought of Seto down there.

He waved on of the few men-at-arms he had left over to his side, watching as the man appeared nervous. "Prepare for an attack on the peasants, as soon as possible. I'll have Lector and his dragon cover you so they will not be able to harm you. Move quickly, I want this settled." The man nodded before rushing away, leaving Gozaburo to continue to his chambers.

The dragon was wrong; there was nothing that could stop him. Especially any dragon. He was invincible.

* * *

Bakura grumbled at being awake so early in the morning, but Mahad had insisted that they all be up and about, even if they had been up nearly all night looking for the peasant's camp. The thief sidestepped a clumsily swung sword, tipping his head to the side as he watched it slam into the tree trunk. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he returned to looking for his lover, still partially paying attention to the practicing peasants all around them. For peasants, they were good with what they had. This revolt would probably make a difference.

He gave a short wave to Kisara as he passed, the motion completed before he thought about what he was doing. Bakura gave a short hiss and clutched his arm, hating that he was actually being friendly to someone. Thankfully, the woman didn't notice, too busy outlining the layout of the castle to the leaders of this band of rebels, Yugi and Mahad included. He left them to their planning, breaking into a jog when he saw Ryou lower his bow, wincing at something. The poet turned to give him a wave before striding off to retrieve his arrows.

Bakura caught up to his lover as the poet sat down on a rock, sitting down beside him. Almost immediately, Ryou began to lean over, a huge yawn coming from the poet. Bakura smirked and pushed Ryou back upright, earning a glare from him. "I'm tired. Can't I just rest? Or would you rather have me killed for something stupid I do tonight?"

Sighing, Bakura pulled Ryou back over, letting the poet lean on him again. Ryou snuggled close with a happy sigh himself. Bakura jostled him, holding back a laugh as Ryou squealed at the motion, earning a glare for his efforts. When Ryou had finally turned away, Bakura resettled himself. "Not for long though. Mahad might demand something of his only archer."

"Tell him to shove it then." Bakura stared at his lover in shock, surprised that the usually mild Ryou would suggest such a thing. He smirked as Ryou drifted off to sleep; he was rubbing off on the poet. He shifted with a sigh, wincing as Ryou dug his fingers into his shirt, preventing further movement. Bakura glanced at his lover before finding a comfortable position within the limits that Ryou allowed him. At the sound of Ryou's gentle breathing, Bakura turned to look at the camp again. The peasants were still working, some drifting to the planning session. He thought he saw a flash of black and red fabric, but he was distracted by the appearance of the pale gold dragon.

Marik gave them a nod before flopping on the ground, staring up at the bare branches. After a moment, the dragon sighed and looked back over at them. "Paladin and I have been thrown into this as a distraction."

"Are you going to do something about it?"

Marik growled as he shook his head, glaring over at the knight. "He has them convinced that we can't think on our own, that we belong to specific humans." Marik gave an annoyed snort, turning his head to the side. "Stupid humans. We don't have to stay here and help them."

"Then leave." Bakura shrugged at the dragon's baffled glance. "I would if I could, but it's in my interest to stay. Once Gozaburo is gone I have my hunting ground back, no more conscious to tell me that I should stop."

The dragon tipped his head to the side with a laugh. "You have a conscious?"

"Underdeveloped, but yes." He gave a mock glare at Marik, attributing his current jovial mood to the lack of sleep. "How else you explain how you are still around to annoy me, dragon?"

That earned another laugh from Marik, the sound trailing off into a groan as the dragon stretched. Bakura leaned to one side, taking Ryou with him to avoid an outstretched wing. Marik grumbled as he settled back down, lavender eyes blinking drowsily. "Can't wait to get back; the weather up here is still horrible. Makes me want to find a nice desert to curl up in and get warm again."

Bakura shook his head, leaning on one arm as Ryou began to fall from his shoulder. Absently, he ran his other hand through the poet's hair, eyes staring off into the distance. He hadn't thought much about what to do after all of this because 'all of this' seemed like it would go on forever. He had never thought one small prince and a bad tempered dragon would be enough to bring Gozaburo to this point. He had been ready to move his area to some other place far away from the slowly dying kingdom. That was, of course, after Ryou was ready to move on. Never had he thought that he would be sitting and waiting for his part in the rebellion, still under the command of that same prince and his dragon. He had told Ryou once that this was the tale of a lifetime, but he had underestimated how amazing it really was. Bad planning on his part; he should have been ready for everything.

"How's Atem taking this?"

Marik gave a choked laugh. "The peasants are merely worshipping him, but only because they think Yugi can command him. They keep shouting these things about magic and a gift from the gods. Yugi is just ignoring it, but Atem is nervous. It's annoying to be treated like an object while your mate is held above you. Mates are equals, unlike humans."

Bakura gave a snort of agreement, looking up as Yugi walked over them, Atem appearing a moment later so Yugi could lean against him. The five of them fell into silence as they drifted to sleep in their exhaustion. The thief didn't know how much time had passed before Yugi was shaking him awake. Bakura shot upright, helping Ryou from the ground with a smile. He glared at Yugi as the prince waited for them, Atem hovering behind him like a shadow. "Mahad says we attack tonight."

"It's too soon."

"For us, maybe, but the peasants want to attack while Gozaburo is still reeling from his loses. Our part in all of this is relatively simple."

The thief snorted in disgust. "And has he told us of this minor part we play? I don't want to throw my life away uselessly."

"You're with us," Yugi gestured at himself and Atem, "going after the dragon while the others attack the castle itself. Mahad wants us to take out Lector and his dragon before letting the peasants even approach the castle."

"Which is where he is using the other dragons as bait." Bakura scoffed, not liking their part in this. "Does he know that the dragons want to rip his head off for that?"

Yugi shook his head, rubbing his forehead with a long sigh. The thief let the subject drop, dodging Ryou's elbow as the stood up. Bakura dropped his hands to his belt, running his fingers over his collection of knives before resting his hands on his hip. "Enjoy the last time you are in command, shrimp. The time of you bossing me around is coming to an end."

Bakura started at the look of thanks that the prince gave him. He had not expected Yugi to see through him so easily, translating the false scorn to find what Bakura really meant. The thief shook off his disbelief, walking with his small group as they went back to the main camp. He was startled to see Kisara there, one hand resting easily on the pommel of her sword with fierce determination in her eyes. He briefly searched for Mokuba before chiding himself for his stupidity. If Kisara was leading a group to rescue her husband, then she wouldn't be taking the infant into battle. He would be staying behind with Kysen.

Bakura ducked out of the meeting, leaving Ryou to pay attention so that the poet could immortalize the fiasco, instead following Atem. The black and red dragon glanced back at him before ignoring him completely. The two of them had an understanding, one brought about by a similarity in thought. They both lived off other beings, surviving in their different ways. Atem saw the thief's profession as something that he did merely to survive, not judging him on that since Atem couldn't quite fathom why humans had the need to store such things in their homes. Bakura easily acknowledged the dragon's intelligence, the creature having to possess some spark to have survived this far. Of course, neither was willing to admit their respect for the other, so they ignored each other's presence.

He was not surprised when the dragon stopped to bid farewell to Kysen, Atem laughing as the baby reached up for him. Bakura crossed his arms and watched the rare show of tenderness from the dragon. He would never have guessed that Atem would be so careful with the small human. The thief turned his head away, giving the dragon his moment of privacy.

Kysen gave a short sob as Atem pulled away, the dragon gently shushing the infant. "Don't worry, little one, I'll come back."

Bakura froze at the phrase, his mouth falling open as his jaw went slack and his eyes widened and unfocused. He shivered at the memory that rose to the front of his thoughts.

_He was crouched in a dark cellar, holding his treasured blanket close to him as his mother motioned for him to be silent. She gave a weak smile that he returned, standing up on his tip-toes to get a kiss on the forehead. His mother patted his messy hair as he settled back down, wrapping the blanket around him to keep him warm. She gave him a little nod before starting to lower the door to the cellar. "I'll come back."_

_He nodded._

_She never came back._

"Don't say that unless you are sure." Bakura didn't even realize that he had spoke until Atem shot him a confused look. When the thief said nothing more, the dragon gave an irritated snort.

"I mean every word." The dragon turned and walked off into the tress. Bakura glared after him, wrapping his arms around himself as the phantom touch of his old blanket draped itself around his shoulders. He shook himself and stomped off to find Ryou and demand comfort to keep himself safe from the loathed memories of his past.

* * *

Mahad was shocked to find the dragon splayed out in the dim light of the evening. He had thought that the dragon would be back at the camp with the rest of its group. He stared at the ground, cursing the fact that he missed the earlier disappearance of the dragon. He was about to turn away and leave, the presence of the dragon in his place of thought breaking the calm that he was trying to feel, when he saw the dragon's tongue flick out. The knight stilled as the stared at the dragon, realizing that he had never seen this behavior before in the dragon. He took a step forward as the dragon shook its head, freezing again when its crimson eyes were suddenly trained on him.

The dragon stared at him for a moment before returning to his staring out at the trees. "Something is coming; you can nearly taste it on the wind."

Mahad scoffed at the nonsense, not flinching as the dragon turned his head with a snarl. The knight waved the beast away, leaning back against the nearest tree. "Of course it is. We strike against the king soon. And you should be happy; you'll have your precious father back."

"Don't taunt me, knight. I am perfectly aware of what we must do to end the suffering of the humans up here." The dragon didn't even look away from the point he was staring at, instead slumping a bit as he spoke. "And I know it's what you wanted to do when Yugi got hurt the last time. I don't like it, but it is the only thing to do."

"Your opinion on this doesn't matter, beast." Mahad tapped his fingers against his arm in anger, watching the dragon twitch at his words. "I put up with you merely because Yugi does. And I don't know how he does it."

"I have not influenced him in any way."

"So that's what you call it." The dragon finally turned his head, a growl escaping it as it stared at Mahad. The knight smiled, happy that he had finally gotten a reaction from the dragon. "Apparently the beast can learn. After all, seduction is just a step above what your kind does on a regular basis."

The dragon snarled, moving from his position on the ground to loom over Mahad. "What do you have against _me_ knight? I have done nothing to harm you or Yugi!"

"I swore to wipe out every dragon on this earth!" Mahad glared up at the dragon, not flinching from the anger in the red eyes. "Your kind is no better than vermin, able to take over the minds of others by a simple thing that should be a gift. Gozaburo would have never tried to kill Yugi if that creature hadn't given him that heart and corrupted him."

"If anything was corrupted, it was the heart!" The dragon snapped its jaws shut in front of Mahad, backing away a moment later. "You just never saw what Gozaburo really was or refused to see it. I don't know which and, frankly, I don't care. Once this is over, we're going back to where we belong."

Mahad was about to retort, glad that the dragon finally realized that he was truly not wanted when something stopped him. There was a possibility that this creature wasn't talking about just the other dragons. The knight curled his hands into fists, feeling his nails dig into the palms of his hands. "Yugi is staying here to become king and his son will remain as well." Mahad smirked up at the dragon, ready to deal the final blow. "And whatever unholy name you presented Yugi's son with will be changed. And you _will_ release the hold you have over Yugi if you want to live."

The knight barely had time to scramble out of the way as the dragon lunged forward. He winced as he rolled on the ground, cautiously getting to his feet as he saw the dragon pushing away from the fallen tree. The creature looked at the trunk before turning to Mahad with a snarl, stalking forward. "You will not take them from me!"

"I am merely putting them back where they belong."

"Then you will kill him." Mahad's retort died as the dragon loomed over him again, his mind running over the words that the creature had just spoken. He immediately went for denial, hand reaching for his sword as he stared at the dragon.

"No. It's his duty. He had trained for this his entire life." Mahad drew his sword, pointing it at the dragon and laughing when the creature took a step back. It wasn't so tough when it was threatened; just like every other dragon he had killed. He calmed himself and looked up at the dragon, making sure to keep his voice steady. "Yugi knows what he must do, and nothing you have said to him will change that."

The dragon sighed and looked away, one crimson eye rolling to stare at Mahad after a moment. "Will you condemn him to that misery, knight?"

Misery? The knight shook his head, his other hand now holding up the one that was clutched around the hilt of his blade, attempting to prevent a tremble. "It's his duty. He _knows_ this, dragon. He was born for it."

"Then why not Seto?"

"Yugi is the heir!" Mahad snapped off the answer before he could think, the quick reply earning a rumble from the dragon.

The dragon snarled for a moment before the sound turned into a bark of laughter. Mahad wavered as the dragon took a step back, turning so its side was facing the knight. The sword nearly dropped out of his hand as the creature looked over its shoulder at him, smiling. "You don't trust Seto."

"Of course I do! I raised him as well!"

"No." The dragon settled on the ground, tail twitching. Mahad found himself staring at the tail, watching it move as the dragon spoke. "You don't trust him enough. There is some little part of you that worries that he may be like Gozaburo in the end; that he'll mess up this little place as much as Gozaburo did. But you know he'll never harm Yugi, so you intend to use my mate as a buffer." The last word came out as a snarl before the dragon seemed to calm itself. "But that leads me to question if Yugi was really the son of your former king?"

"Of course he was!" Mahad lunged forward, the point of his sword stopping just centimeters from the dragon's hide. "Don't you ever question Aislinn's fidelity! She loved her husband too dearly for that."

The creature snorted, looking up at the stars, ignoring the sword that was hovering by him. "Tell me, knight, have you ever loved someone?"

"Of course I have! I'm not as cold hearted as you, dragon."

The creature rolled his eyes, turning his head to look at Mahad. "Have you ever loved someone you couldn't have."

Unbidden, the images of laughing purple eyes and long red hair sprang into his mind, but Mahad quickly shook the images away. Of course he had loved Aislinn, she was his queen. Loyalty and love went hand in hand. Besides, who had not fallen in love with the exotic woman who had been so gentle. The woman who seemed to understand everything with those expressive purple eyes of hers. The woman who cared deeply for every person in their small kingdom, even if they were not her people by birth. It was impossible not to fall in love with Aislinn. At least, for those who knew her well, to others she was just a stranger in their midst.

They had been friends, the two people in the court from different places. Mahad had been a knight from a small manor in the north, but the best friend of the former king. Aislinn had been the scared girl from the south who had no one to cling to but the one man to show her compassion. In searching for something familiar they had found each other, and Mahad had fallen in love with her, even though she never returned his feelings, she only loved her husband in that manner, as was right.

The knight swallowed, trying to clear the blockage that suddenly appeared in his throat trying to choke him. Yes, he had wanted her to be his, but he had understood that she never could have. There might have been the slim chance, if Yugi had immediately taken the throne, that she could have consented to marry him. But that was impossible now.

He was barely aware that he had dropped the sword to the ground, blinking to focus his eyes as the dragon moved, standing up again. Mahad stared up at the creature in awe, not quite knowing what to do. Instead of attack him, as he thought that the beast might do, the creature merely stared down at him. "Then you know how I feel, knight. And I will not lose this chance. I promise you that I will fight every step of the way."

Mahad opened his mouth to respond, but found there was nothing he could say. The creature had managed to best him this time, even if the beast had crushed some of the morals that people held dear, he couldn't fault the beast for following what it thought was right. The knight gave a shrug, making the motion a signal of his defeat. He wouldn't fight against the creature anymore tonight, but there would be another confrontation when it came to Yugi again. He would get Yugi his throne any way necessary, as it was his birthright. And the knight still didn't trust that the prince was still in his right mind, but that could be easily changed when the dragon was removed.

He was distracted from his thoughts as the little white dragon flew over them, landing heavily on the ground and panting for breath. Mahad stared at the creature as the black and red dragon ambled over, helping the smaller one up. The white dragon nodded its thanks before glaring at Mahad. "I've lured the knight and his dragon out, but they've brought soldiers as well."

The black and red dragon smiled, giving a short burst of laughter before looking up at the sky. "Then let's give Rex his proper welcome then."

Mahad ignored the two dragons, scooping up his discarded sword and rushing back towards the camp. A smile made its way across his face as he raced for the small army. This time it would work, this time Gozaburo would fall. There would be peace again. He nearly fell as he jumped awkwardly over a fallen tree, listening to the cheer that rose from the peasants as he appeared. Apparently, the news had spread. The knight nodded and motioned for the peasants to begin their attack, laughing at the black and red banner with the silhouette of a dragon that was hoisted up as the peasants rushed from their camp. He couldn't even bring himself to wince at the earsplitting roar that came from the black and red dragon as it took to the air, his own scream lost in the sound that echoed into the still night.

* * *

_Please read and review. Criticism is always welcome._


	17. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own parts of the plot and Kysen.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own parts of the plot and Kysen.

**Warnings: **Blood, character death

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Chapter Seventeen: The End   
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_And, to allow peace to start,  
The dragon was stabbed through the heart. _   
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Yugi crouched in the undergrowth, a hand resting on his borrowed sword, staring at the soldiers that ran forward under the cover that Lector and Rex gave them. He held out a hand to keep Ryou from rushing out with the rest of the group, his exuberance getting the better of him. Behind him there was a brief struggle as Bakura hauled his lover back into the shadows, his attention distracted as Kisara pushed through the undergrowth. She stopped beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. He gave his cousin's lover an encouraging smile, sighing when Kisara returned the smile, but hers was somewhat shakier. She leaned over to whisper in his ear, "Can Paladin join me, or have you two figured something out together?"

"No." Yugi glanced back to where the small dragon was, waving the white dragon forward. Paladin grunted and complied, Yugi turning back to Kisara. "Please, take care of him."

"Don't worry, Yugi, we'll keep each other safe." Kisara gave his shoulder a squeeze before slipping back into the undergrowth, Paladin following her. Yugi kept an eye on the small group until a familiar roar shattered the air. His heart skipped a beat as he turned his head to see Atem take to the sky, stretching his black and red wings out wide, blocking the stars as he rose. He smiled as he watched the dragon soar over the trees before abruptly turning upwards so his shoulders slammed into Rex's stomach, making the dragon's flight wobble. Atem clawed over Rex as he continued to rise, tail slapping across the purple and brown dragon's face as he turned around.

There was a short roar from Rex before Atem let out a quick burst of flames before darting off, drawing the dragon away from the soldiers it was guarding. Yugi glanced at the castle before looking back at Atem. They couldn't start their attack until Atem had disabled the last dragon. Kisara would be working her way around the castle at this point, seeking a way in. Hopefully her group would take care of the few soldiers that were left with Gozaburo, but their main purpose was to get Seto out of his father's hold, securing another ally.

He yelped as pain erupted from his side, clutching the area as Ryou called out to him. Yugi waved the concern off, searching for Atem. His breath caught in his throat as he saw Atem plummeting away from Rex, the black and red dragon catching himself before he hit the ground. The prince winced as he saw the livid wound that ran along the dragon's side and close to the base of his wing. Atem bared his teeth against the pain, the motion of his wings pulling the wound wider with each beat. The dragon gaze a fleeting glance to where Yugi was before turning back to the gloating dragon above him, finally touching down on the ground as the pain became too much.

The prince shuddered at the flash of anger in Atem's crimson eyes. Now that Rex had hurt Atem and, indirectly, him it would be harder to stop the dragon. Atem was protective when it came to him, hating that he caused Yugi harm even when it wasn't his fault. Yugi rocked back at the growl that Atem let out, the black and red dragon tensing for a moment.

Atem pushed off the ground, using the momentum from the jump to lessen the stress of take off on his wings. The two collided in midair, Yugi gasping as the air was forced out of his lungs by the impact. The prince leaned over, coughing as he struggled to draw air into his lungs. Yugi shook his head and looked up, relaxing as he realized that Atem had gained the upper hand, the black and red dragon now holding Rex still in his grasp. The next moment Yugi was clutching his chest as Lector stood up and stabbed Atem. The black and red dragon snarled and batted the human from Rex's back, holding the purple and brown dragon still as they waited for Lector to hit the ground.

Yugi turned away, still hearing Rex's scream of pain as Lector hit the ground. He took the chance to move out hiding and waved to gain Atem's attention. The dragon blinked down at him, eyes widening as the prince shook his head. Yugi was sure that Atem understood what he meant by the motion; they didn't have time to play with Rex and make him scream for his own death. Yugi wanted to get Atem out of the situation before it came to that, it was easier when the dragons fought in the end, then the regret didn't register. Besides, Rex was already in pain, but the sobbing dragon was probably crying more for himself than the knight that he had allowed to ride on his back.

Atem tipped his head, pleading with Yugi to let him do was he wanted, but Yugi simply shook his head. The dragon looked down at Rex, heaving a sigh and tearing into Rex's throat. Yugi turned around, wincing at the screams from the dragon, one hand straying back to his side as the wound throbbed. And then, it all stopped. He jumped as Atem landed, turning around to face the dragon. The black and red dragon looked at Yugi before carelessly throwing the body to one side. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before he spoke. "I'm sorry."

Yugi smiled and reached out to touch the dragon, surprised when Atem pulled away a fraction. He shook his head and rushed forward to hug the dragon, the suddenness of the movement making Atem tense. Yugi made a soothing sound, running his hands over the dragon. "I understand and I forgive you." He placed a kiss on the warm scales before pulling away. "Come on."

Atem gave Yugi a little nudge before taking off, both of them wincing as the wound throbbed. The prince motioned for his small group to follow him. Bakura was the first out, the thief pausing to haul Ryou out into the open. Marik extracted himself, still panting after his flight back to the group leading Rex and the soldiers into their trap. The pale gold dragon groaned as he launched himself into the air, his appearance to the peasants showing that Yugi was running for the castle. The prince gave a wave of thanks to Marik, which was returned with a lazy flip before jogging off after Bakura and Ryou.

Atem swooped low over them, holding out a hand. Yugi smiled and shoved Ryou toward the offered limb, Bakura already taking advantage of the free ride. Between the two of them they managed to help the poet onto the dragon before Yugi jumped up himself, holding tight to a bloodied claw as Atem flapped to gain altitude. The dragon circled lazily back to the battle, swooping lower over the scared soldiers before letting out a stream of dark flame, cutting off their escape before he turned and headed back to the castle.

* * *

Mahad glanced up as Atem made his pass, a reluctant smirk cross his face. He couldn't fault the dragon for that move. With the death of Gozaburo's knight and dragon the soldiers had begun to look for a way out. They probably saw that the odds had tipped in the peasant's favor and wanted to get the scale to tip back their way. Their first thought would have been to return to Gozaburo to act as reinforcements, which meant that Yugi would have had a harder time getting to the dragon. Satisfied, Mahad settled back into the battle.

Skillfully, the knight caught a blade, side-stepping to avoid a pike that came his way. Mahad disengaged with the man with the sword, stabbing him before swinging and cutting off the tip of the pike. The solider stared at his useless weapon in awe for a moment before Mahad sliced his stomach open, the soldier falling to the ground with a soft groan. He stepped away from the bodies, allowing a peasant to snatch up the sword and shaft of the pike.

He could see other peasants quickly picking up better weapons as the soldiers as they tried to get away. To flee from the peasants some were even throwing themselves into the dark flames that Atem had left behind. The soldiers had lost their edge when their leader had been thrown from his dragon, now struggling as individuals to get away from the enraged peasants. Mahad raised a hand to signal the dragon, ignoring the snort from the dragon as it swooped low, breathing fire onto the soldiers that remained. He shielded his eyes from the bright light, wincing at the sound of screams, but still not looking away. They had chosen their fates by siding with Gozaburo.

Mahad looked up as the pale gold dragon flew off into the night, circling back to continue to stay by the battle. He raised an eyebrow at the roll that the dragon gave, not impressed by the little show of joy. The dragon seemed to notice his look because it snarled and rose higher into the air, leaving the knight to supervise the rest of the peasants. He sighed and looked at the small number of soldiers left, all of them surrendering quickly as they realized that their comrades were no longer with them.

The blonde leader quickly made his rounds of the peasant army before bounding up to Mahad, looking overjoyed over their victory. The knight gave a smile while searching for a place to wipe his blade off, groaning as he finally slid it into his scabbard. It would just be bloodied again, so there was no use for cleaning it yet, it was just an ingrained habit for him. Mahad gave his scabbard a disgusted look before returning his attention to the blonde. The young man had calmed himself, but was now looking at the castle with eagerness. "We're done with the few down here. Now, do we go up there?"

Mahad nodded. It would take Yugi and his group time to get to the dragon, but they could still go up to the castle to act as reinforcements for the prince, and for Kisara when she freed Seto. Better yet, he could be sure that Yugi didn't spend so much time with that dragon. He glanced at the peasants, mentally dividing them up. First, they would have to take the few wounded and dead back into the camp, leaving them to the care of those too young or old to fight before approaching the castle or just split the group in two from the start; then the second group could rush to help Kisara since the woman was unlikely to be discovered with the main attack coming from the front.

"What about these men?" The knight looked back at the group of soldiers, shaking his head. He looked back up, not surprised that the burned man had joined the blonde.

"Kill them all. They'll just betray us in the end." Mahad ignored the sneer from the burned man as he pointed to the peasants, dividing them up into two groups. "You," he motioned to the blonde, "will come with me and lead them up to the castle. You," he pointed to the burned man, "will stay behind and take care of the injured and dead as well as our prisoners before joining us."

"Is it really necessary to kill them?" The burned man cast a compassionate look back at the soldiers. Mahad resisted the urge to yell, knowing that he didn't have the time to get in an argument with this man. But he still couldn't understand why this man would show compassion to the ones who had set fire to him, intending to kill him for helping Tèa. They hadn't even tried to pull him out, but the others in his village had, beating back the men until they could pull him from the fire. Why would one wish to let those men live?

The knight waved the burned man on. "Do as I say. They will cause trouble. They are loyal to Gozaburo and would endanger your new king."

Mahad turned and began to walk away, stopping when the blonde did not summon the chosen peasants or follow him. He looked back over his shoulder, jerking his head to show that they were leaving now. Reluctantly, the blonde called his group together, resting a hand on the burned man's shoulder briefly before jogging after Mahad. The knight stayed in place as the group ran past him, remaining long enough to see the burned man shake his head before striding back to the peasants. Mahad bit his tongue before turning abruptly and walking after his group.

He knew that the burned man wouldn't obey his orders in the end, which wasn't his problem. He was just here to help win this rebellion and take back everything from Gozaburo. And then he could set everything right, putting the right king on the throne and watch everything fall back into place. Perhaps he would even get the chance to train Yugi's son as he grew up, giving his knowledge to the next generation, passing on the oldest code of knights so that it wouldn't be lost forever. He brushed a hand over the pommel of his sword, wincing as he did so. He couldn't afford to think about that future now and be distracted by its brilliance, right now he had to concentrate on ending this before Yugi was hurt again.

* * *

Kisara snarled as she jumped backwards, one hand pulling hair away from her eyes. Surprisingly, there had only been a few men waiting for them when they tried to get in the smallest gate on the side of the castle, and they had been easily taken care of. The woman glanced up to where Paladin was carefully scaling the wall, the white dragon dropping into the courtyard soundlessly and hunkering down, nearly blending into the white stone. Satisfied that their look out was posted, Kisara gave Paladin's shoulder a pat in thanks before motioning for her group to follow her.

They reached a small door in the side of the castle, a useless piece since no one ever came to this side of the courtyard, but a show of Gozaburo's power. The king could put as many entrances to his castle as he wanted because there was no way that anyone could possibly get in. Kisara bit back a scoff at the thought of the king. His arrogance was quickly turning into his downfall.

She held the door open, ushering the group in before following after them, blinking in the dim corridor before jogging off. The peasants were on her heels immediately, nervously trusting her to lead them to the right place. Kisara held back her temper as they moved through the corridors, always heading down. Did they honestly think that she would hand them over to Gozaburo? Just because she had lived in the castle in the past didn't mean that she would automatically side with him. It didn't mean that anyone would side with the king. Only those that stood to gain anything could ally themselves with Gozaburo.

She jerked to a stop, flinging an arm out to stop the peasants. Kisara's eyes widened in fear as maids nervously darted across their path, one stopping as the other hurried on. Kisara felt her mouth dry suddenly, they had been caught. The alarm would be sounded and they would be taken to Gozaburo. Hopefully, someone would get out of here to take care of Mokuba, since they would be held to prevent Yugi from killing the dragon.

To her surprise, the maid just smiled and placed a finger on her lips before hurrying after her friend. Kisara leaned out to watch her go, stiffening as the other maid looked back, eyes lighting up before they both returned to their nervous conversation. Kisara pulled back, blinking rapidly in confusion. So the denizens of the castle were actually going to help them in this, keeping the information that there were intruders in the castle from Gozaburo. All at the risk of their own safety.

She shrugged, a gentle smile cross her face in thanks before she ran ahead. She followed the twists and turns to the dungeons, slowing long enough to fling back a door before rushing down the last set of stairs. Kisara bit back a curse as she nearly fell, freezing when she felt hands on her arms. She was about to struggle, not knowing who had gotten her in the dim light of the staircase, when she felt the person helping down the rest of the way; their hold on her diminishing to merely resting their palm against hers. Kisara turned to face her helper, eyes widening at the gentle stare of the dungeon guard. He gave a little bow to her, taking the keys off his belt before placing them in her grasp. "You be careful, Lady Kisara. How's young Mokuba doing?"

"F-fine." Kisara controlled the tremble in her voice, turning her head slightly to look at the amazed group of peasants that were waiting for her, still spread out over the stairs.

The guard chuckled. "That's good. Everyone has been missing the little guy lately. Doesn't seem as lively without him here." He gave her a wave, climbing up a few of the steps with peasants nearly jumping off the stairs as he passed. The guard snapped his fingers before turning around. "He's the last cell on the left."

Kisara nearly dropped the keys as the guard walked up into the upper levels of the castle, nervously licking her suddenly dry lips. She had _not_ been expecting this when she had come to free Seto from prison. She had be expecting difficulties but not to be welcomed with open arms and wished well in overthrowing the king. She shook her head before fumbling with the keys and beginning to run down the small corridor, the peasants cautiously guarding the rear.

He must have heard the jingling of keys and her footsteps because she heard him stand up and the door creak as he leaned against it. "Have you come back to torment me some more, father, or have you sent that idiotic knight again?"

Kisara held back a giggle and fumbled with the keys, biting her lip as she searched for the right key. She let out a sigh of relief as she found the right one, fitting it in the lock and resting her hand on it, ready to turn. As she began to open the door some sixth sense told her to step to the side and she was glad that she had.

Seto rushed past her, his hands managing to catch around her waist before he let go, propelled forward by his momentum. When he realized that he had not captured the person who had opened his cell, Seto turned. In a mere moment, the determination left his face, his expression getting the closest he would ever allow himself to get to amazement before he rushed to pull her into a hug. Kisara yelped as he held her close, burying his face into her hair. She let out a laugh as she just relaxed into his hold, loving the feeling of her mate holding her again. "So, do I get a reward for rescuing you?"

Abruptly, he let her go, straightening out his clothes and striding for the stairs. "Who says I needed rescuing? I was just waiting for you to show up."

"Really?" Kisara rolled her eyes, following after him with a smile crossing her face.

Seto turned his head, raising one eyebrow. "Yes. Although I…appreciate your efforts, I was fine."

She laughed and rushed to her mate's side, her laughter turning into a glare as he pulled her sword from her, staring at the blade before shaking his head. "Poor quality steel, but it will work."

"Excuse me." Kisara gently pulled the sword from his grasp, enjoying the bemused look on his face. "But I will need this to back up your cousin."

Seto's eyes narrowed dangerously and he caught her arm. Kisara felt the light mood between them drop away. She turned to face her lover, titling her head to the side in a silent question, forgetting about the others who had followed her here. Seto demanded her attention now and he would get it. But Seto had not forgotten them, leaning in closer to whisper into her ear. "Have you thought about Mokuba? What would it be like for him to grow up without a mother?"

Kisara gave a weak chuckle and pulled him away far enough to place a kiss on his cheek. "I have enough reinforcements, Seto and I'll be fine. Besides, Yugi is just going after Akhnamkanon. Once he is dead than your father is dead and all resistance stops. The last of Gozaburo's knights have been killed so there is no one else to lead, Seto. We'll have peace."

Reluctantly, Seto stepped away from her, giving a stiff nod. Kisara glanced down at the blade that she still held in her hand, staring at it before passing it over to Seto. "But, if it will make you feel better…"

"It would." The reply was in a low voice, too low for the peasants to hear. Kisara nodded, sighing when Seto slipped into his usual cold indifference before walking with her to where the rest of the group waited. Kisara smiled in thanks at all who had followed her before scooting up the stairs and jogging back through the corridors, overjoyed to have her mate back at her side.

They slipped back in the way they had come, Seto grumbling about his father's arrogance as Kisara rushed over to where Paladin crouched. The small white dragon gave her a short nod before rising from his crouch and gesturing towards the sky with his muzzle. "Atem is coming. It's starting."

"No." Kisara reached out to touch Paladin's side, listening with half an ear to the orders that her mate was giving the peasants. "It's ending."

* * *

Yugi dropped easily to the ground, withholding a laugh as Ryou tumbled clumsily after him, fouling up Bakura's landing. The poet and the thief tumbled together for a while before coming to a rest in a tangled pile of limbs. The prince shook his head as he ran past, Atem landing behind them with a rush of wind. Unerringly, the dragon made for where they kept his father, turning to look at Yugi as the human rushed the final feet over, hands clenching into fists.

What Gozaburo had done to this dragon was unforgivable. It's scales were a light grey, white in places where the chain had rubbed, and had lost all of their luster. The dragon was very thin, bones easily seen through skin. Yugi took a stepped closer, shuddering at it took a while to find where the ambient warmth from the dragon began, too close to its body. Yugi bit his lip and looked up at Atem.

The black and red dragon had his head bowed, eyes moving quickly over his father and occasionally flickering up to glance at the castle. Yugi saw sorrow, rage, confusion and regret all running through the crimson eyes as Atem gazed at his father. Yugi swallowed nervously, turning his eyes away to let Atem have his moment. He looked over the stones in the courtyard before looking back at the dragon, surprised to see that it was awake now, staring at him with sorrowful brown eyes.

"So, you came back." The voice was weak and strained. Yugi flinched at it, too used to the strong voices of the other dragons.

"Yes." He finally managed to get the word out of his dry mouth, taking a step forward to rest his hand on the dragon's head. He managed not to jump backward as the feel of the dragon, holding back a shudder at the cold sensation under his hand. Yugi lowered his eyes, searching for something to stare at; anything but the dragon. "I'm sorry I could do it before."

"I have forgiven you, little prince." Yugi blushed at the nickname, the old dragon chuckling as he did so. "But I do have some questions before I die, but," the dragon nodded as Yugi opened his mouth to speak, "I will make them brief. Now, how is my son?"

Yugi glanced up at Atem, expecting the black and red dragon to answer for himself, but he shook his head. The prince tipped his head to the side, hand coming off the other dragon's head as he took a step towards Atem. His lover stared at him for a moment before nodding, finally looking back at his father. "I'm fine."

"Have you found a mate yet, or are you still allowing that Marik to influence your thoughts?" Yugi saw a sparkle of mirth in the dragon's eyes, the creature seeming to gain more life with the question. Atem came closer with that question, carefully arranging himself so that he was standing close to Yugi. The prince smiled up at him and rested a hand on Atem, silently supporting him.

"Yes."

Akhnamkanon's eyes flickered from Atem to Yugi before he finally nodded, skipping over the question that they had both been dreading. "Good."

Yugi watched the dragon's eyes close as the dragon heaved a sigh. The prince glanced at the chains that had the dragon down, suddenly wanting to get them off. He rushed over to one bracket, kneeling down to stare at it before be began to fumble with the metal. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Atem walk past, easily grabbing the next bracket down and pulling it from the stone. Akhnamkanon opened one eye and watched them work, taking in deeper breaths as the chains were taken from him.

As the last chain was thrown from the dragon, Akhnamkanon pulled his head from the ground, shifting to lift up a scale and expose the scar, the easiest way to get to his heart. Swallowing harshly, Yugi pulled out his sword, stepping around so he would have a clean shot at the heart. "I'm sorry."

"I did it to protect my son." Akhnamkanon looked over at Atem, who had taken a few steps back. At the mention of him, Atem looked up abruptly, a shiver running through him before he turned away again. "He was saved from my fate or the fate of the other dragons who were once here, may the gods save their souls. I have already lived a good life on this earth, it is time to join my mate."

Yugi nodded, shifting his grip on the hilt of the sword as his palms became sweaty. "I'll take care of Atem. I promise I won't let anything happen to him."

Akhnamkanon blinked before giving a short nod. "Thank you, little prince."

Yugi looked down at his hands, taking a deep breath before preparing to lunge. He was leaning forward when he heard the doors to the castle burst open. He spun back around, hearing a growl from both the dragons as Gozaburo rushed out, sword in hand. The king and Yugi stared at each other, Yugi freezing in fear. He could still remember that night…and the same sword. One hand reached up to clutch his shirt over his heart, shrinking back towards Atem as the black and red dragon stepped forward.

"I thought I killed you, brat. I stabbed you right through the heart and watched you bleed out." Gozaburo kept walking forward, ignoring the snarls that were coming from Atem. "So how can you be here? Unless…"

His cold gaze strayed to Atem, who spread a wing out over Yugi, still glaring at the king. Gozaburo nodded to himself and flashed Yugi a smile. "So that's it. You are just like me, Yugi." The king tapped his heart with a serious nod. "We were both chosen by destiny."

"Do it, Yugi!" Atem darted forward, lashing out with his claws before he took off into the air. Yugi ducked his head to avoid his tail, getting a glimpse of Ryou and Bakura as they rushed toward Gozaburo. He motioned them back, not wanting them to get hurt as Atem tried to defend him. The thief glared at him before pulling Ryou back, shoving the poet behind him. Yugi relaxed, quickly turning back to the dragon.

He was about to strike again when pain seared across his shoulder, making him scream and drop down to one knee. Panting through clenched teeth, he turned to see Atem limping away from Gozaburo, hissing as blood dripped from a large wound in his shoulder. Yugi whimpered, rolling his shoulder before using the sword to help him stand up. It was now or never.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath before opening them again. He found that Akhnamkanon was staring at him, a small nod exchanged between the two before Yugi jumped forward and shoved his sword into the dragon's heart. He expected a roar of pain or some sort of sound, but all that accompanied the action was a smile and a thankful look in Akhnamkanon's brown eyes as the dragon settled itself into a comfortable position, dying a moment later.

Yugi turned at the scream from Gozaburo, finding the man clutching his heart before tumbling over, Atem hovering over the man until he was sure that he was dead. Then, the black and red dragon limped back over to Yugi, glancing at his father before shaking his head. "I wish it could have turned out differently. I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

The prince bowed his head, glancing up at the sounds of people running over. He caught a glimpse of Seto and Kisara before the gates to the castle burst open, Mahad leading the charge in. The peasants immediately gathered around the fallen body of Gozaburo, laughing as they realized that they had won. Yugi saw Seto pull Kisara close to him as she tried to walk over to Atem, a slight shake of his head discouraging arguments. He was grateful to his cousin for that, which left Atem with a few moments more with his father.

Yugi moved over to his lover, resting a hand on his hide as he waited for Atem to respond. The black and red dragon finally sighed, lowering his head to look at Yugi. For a moment, it looked like he was going to speak before Atem just shook his head. Yugi gently rubbed the scales beneath his hand, staring up into Atem's red eyes. There were no words of comfort exchanged between the two, each lost in their own world.

He let Atem move away from him, turning to stare at his hands. He had turned into a dragon-slayer, it didn't matter that the dragon had asked for it in the end, it had still happened. It was worse that this dragon was special to Atem. Yugi looked up from his hands, watching Atem folding his wings around himself and tremble. This would tear them apart. Atem wouldn't be able to look at him after this, always seeing his father's killer instead of the one he loved. And Yugi couldn't blame him for that. _He_ would always see himself as a dragon-slayer because of this.

Only then did Yugi realize that he had tears falling from his eyes, wincing as the sounds of celebration began, led by Mahad. He turned to glare at them all, hands clenched in fists by his side. Did they not care that an innocent life had been lost to gain their freedom? Probably not, after all, they could just convince themselves that it was just a dragon. Dragon's couldn't think, couldn't feel. Couldn't be loved.

They wouldn't see beyond the appearance of a fierce creature; they couldn't. It's how they justified their actions, created the little world that they lived in with humans at the top. And Yugi couldn't blame them for seeking a sense of security in a world filled with chaos, but he just couldn't think like them anymore. He couldn't understand his own people. He had been gone for so long, separated from them to keep himself alive that he could no longer connect with them, if he had any connection with them from the start. There was no way they would accept him as their king.

Yugi jumped as Atem let out a keen, the sound rising in the still night air. He looked back at the others, surprised to see most of them cowering at the sound. Couldn't they tell that Atem was mourning? He saw Ryou, Bakura, Paladin and Kisara bow their heads in respect, Seto following a moment after as he took in the situation. But no one else seemed to care. Mahad was even motioning for him to step away from the dragon. Yugi shook his head in a firm no, running forward to throw his arms around Atem's leg. The sound stopped for a moment before Atem dropped his head, allowing Yugi to hold him as tears rolled down his face.

* * *

Aknadin woke slowly, something pulling him from his long sleep. The black dragon pried himself from the ground with a groan, shaking himself and wincing at how weak he was. Carefully, he dragged himself to the entrance of his cave, collapsing half in and half out of the moonlight. He chuckled to himself, the sound raspy to his ears as the looked out over the land.

He had escaped them again, dodged the humans that were always trying to kill him for the honor and glory or for food. He was the last one alive, that he knew of. But that was from his last count about two years ago, the lack of adequate food having sent him into a long hibernation, which resulted in him waking up when his body had nothing left to feed on. The downside to this was that he was ravenously hungry and doubted that there was easy enough prey within a few miles, let alone a few feet.

Aknadin sighed impatiently, tapping a claw against stone as he turned to look at the hills, surprised to see the white castle rising from one of them, completed; which meant that Gozaburo had moved there by now, probably dragging his chained brother with him. He shook his head; that was his brother's folly, and not his to worry about. Still, he stretched and stood on weak legs, hissing as they wobbled, he could still visit him and see what he could do.

He hated the decision and not the dragon. They were still brothers after all. They supported each other through hardships. Akundin had only gone away when Akhnamkanon had ordered him to, taking the prudent advice that the younger brother had offered him. There was no point in rushing something that took careful work to undo.

Content with his decision, Akundin opened his wings, flexing them and glaring at the muscles as they didn't respond instantly. It was one of the things he hated about hibernating instead of traveling south. His mind remembered how his muscles had worked and expected them to be in the same condition. Annoyingly enough, they never were. He grumbled to himself as he flapped experimentally a few times before taking to the sky, growling at his stomach as it made itself known again. He would worry about food later. Just a quick fly over to check on his brother before he would hunt.

His nostrils flared at the scent of smoke in the air, eyes widening as he recognized the scent of fire produced by a dragon rather than natural fire, the former almost having a spicy scent to it. Aknadin gave a low grumble, looking down. He tipped his head to the side as he saw strips of burnt land below him, some bodies still left behind from where humans fought. But why would there be dragons helping humans? From what he knew there were no more left.

He circled over the area once, some part of his mind not accepting that this was true. There had to be a trick to it, or his senses were fooling him after being shut down for so long. Aknadin pulled away when he realized that it was true, there had been dragons here alongside of humans not that long ago. He landed in a clear spot, tail twitching as he looked around, glimpsing movement through the trees. Deciding it was unimportant, he looked up at the sky, snorting when he recognized one of Atem's friends flying towards the castle.

Aknadin took to the air again, grumbling under his breath as he did so. Did they not understand that it was too dangerous to be around humans now? Or did they all think that this was a huge joke. Aknadin's steady wing beat faltered for a second. Or what if that dragon was delivering news to Akhnamkanon, news that Atem couldn't deliver himself. While he didn't adore his nephew for his stubbornness, that didn't mean that Aknadin didn't love him either. It was just jealousy that Atem got to live while none of his own chicks had; and Atem seemed to have little to no care about life.

He flew faster, cursing his weak muscles. If something had happened to either of them…both of them…he didn't know what he would do. He was still reeling from the loss of his mate, and that had been years ago. Aknadin drew in a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart. He couldn't lose them, not the only family that he had left.

He turned his head curiously as the pale gold dragon that he had been following landed and started talking to the humans on the ground. Aknadin gave a snarl before turning to land on the opposite side of the hill. He didn't want anything to do with humans, not after what they had done to his brother. The black dragon snarled as he heard more humans inside the yard, curiosity finally winning over and he peeked over the wall.

A human with strange spiked hair was struggling to get up from the ground. Aknadin snarled and looked over, mouth dropping open as he saw Atem limping away from a second human, bleeding profusely from one shoulder. He was about to scramble over the wall to help his nephew when he saw the human lunge forward, striking his brother in the heart and killing him. Shocked, Aknadin dropped to the ground, breath coming in fast pants.

He wasn't going to try and trick himself into believing that Akhnamkanon wasn't dead, he had seen death too many times before. If he tried to trick himself, then it would hurt even more. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the horrible image. Akhnamkanon had been free, the chains gone from him. And Atem had been clearing his path to escape. Unfortunately some backstabbing human had been there to ruin the whole scheme. Aknadin shook his head as he felt tears begin to run down his face. If only he had moved sooner. His claws dug into the ground as he heard Atem keening, the sound breaking his heart and forcing him to his feet. He had to go comfort his nephew, tell him that it would be okay and they could get through this together. Atem was too young to be totally on his own.

Still fighting back sobs, Aknadin rose to his feet, craning his head over the wall. He tensed as he watched the human assassin walk over to Atem, Aknadin standing on his hind legs to get a better view as the human threw its arms around Atem's leg, holding on until Atem lowered his head. His mouth dropped open as Atem allowed the human to hug his muzzle close, holding the dragon as Atem continued to tremble. Seconds passed with Atem still allowing the human to comfort him.

And then the nagging at the back of his mind started, disturbing Aknadin. What if Atem hadn't been defending his father, but distracting the human that was coming to save him? What if Atem had been corrupted by this human, offered the chance to get out of his hated title by offering up another as a sacrifice? Aknadin had never seen the human that had held his brother captive, so he couldn't be sure that the man with the sword that Atem was fighting actually was the one responsible for his brother's condition. He didn't know too many things, which made him uneasy. Holding back a trill, Aknadin looked at Atem, tensing as he heard his nephew speak.

"He was my father and…What am I going to do without him, love?"

Aknadin felt fire tickling the back of his throat at his nephew's words. He had called the assassin love. He was going to a human for comfort, the same human that had just killed Akhnamkanon. Aknadin pulled himself the rest of the way onto the wall, feeling it shake even under his slight weight. He nearly laughed, the things that humans built were never made to keep out dragons. He opened his wings for balance, eyes focused only on his traitor of a nephew. Atem had allowed for one of his own family to be killed, and that was unforgivable.

Atem was the Morningstar. It was his duty to die for the dragons, to bring them into a new era with his sacrifice. Aknadin was just helping the process along.

He let out a screech as he launched himself from the wall, reaching out for Atem as the saw his nephew's head jerk up in surprise, the black and red dragon shoving the human away as he realized what was coming for him.

* * *

_Please read and review. Criticism is always welcome._


	18. To the Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own parts of the plot and Kysen

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they belong to their respective owners. I do, however, own parts of the plot and Kysen

**Warning: **Blood, character death.

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Chapter Eighteen: To the Stars   
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_And as we watched the golden motes rise to the sky,  
The draconian gods descended from on high. _   
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Atem jumped at the screech, turning to face the sound. He immediately recognized the nearly skeletal dragon as his uncle, shoving Yugi out of the way the next moment as he felt claws rip at his scales. Atem screamed in pain as he was pulled off the ground, his uncle much larger than him. He grunted and pulled away from Aknadin in midair, flinging his wings open to hover as he waited for his uncle to turn around. He bared his teeth as he felt the wounds that he had already gathered that night stretch under the action, feeling blood rolling down his scales. He shook his head, gathering his thoughts back together as his uncle turned back around. "What are you doing?"

"You let that human kill Akhnamkanon, your own father! Have you no shame!" Atem blinked, mouth partially open as he tried to think of an answer. His uncle had obviously seen their plan go through, but he knew nothing about it. Atem snapped his mouth shut, looking up at Aknadin with wide eyes as the dragon flew closer. "It should have been you!"

Atem flipped over, executing a roll as Aknadin followed him, looking over his shoulder to see his uncle snapping at his tail. Atem banked, trying to throw him off and find a place to talk to him. He twisted, heading for the ground and skimming along it. He landed for a moment, pushing off as soon as Aknadin followed him to the ground, twisting around as his uncle clumsily turned to look at him. "It's not what you think. We had to, or else he would have suffered!"

"Is that what your human told you?"

"You saw him." Atem snarled, glaring at his uncle as he mentally cursed him for not being able to understand. "You know that he wouldn't have survived. We came to save him and he asked for death. It was too much for him!"

"No." Atem felt his blood run cold as his uncle shook his head, pulling himself nearly vertical to stand up to his uncle's glare. Aknadin smirked at him, opening his own wings again. "You should have been able to save him. You have magic, you could have used it."

"It would have killed me!"

"That's what you were born for, Atem! It's what was always going to happen to you! It should have been you!" Aknadin launched himself into the air again, Atem quickly flapping to gain altitude.

His mind worked overtime as he twisted in the air, avoiding the claws of his uncle. Aknadin had gone crazy after staying wherever he had been all these years. And he hadn't been stable after the death of his family, clinging to his brother through it all. He couldn't just save all the dragons by carelessly throwing himself after a cause. He couldn't just give up on Yugi's second chance on life like that. There was nothing he could do.

"Listen!" Atem turned, grabbing a hold of Aknadin's neck and leaning in to glare at his uncle. "I would have saved him if I could, but I couldn't. He wouldn't have let me kill myself to save him."

"Then I'll just have to do the honor." Atem screamed in pain as Aknadin's claws dug into his stomach, ripping gashes into his scales. He hissed and pushed away, staring down at the bleeding wounds in horror. Yugi. His head snapped up, looking back at the castle. Yugi was hurt.

He took off for the castle, ducking under Aknadin to escape from his uncle. Unfortunately, Aknadin followed him, pouncing and pushing him down into the ground. Atem gasped as the air was pushed out from him, momentarily distracted from the claws in his back because of that. Abruptly, feeling was returned to him, making him cry out in pain. He turned his head as Aknadin leaned over, no sanity left in his eyes. "Since you are too cowardly to do the deed, I will do it instead."

Atem could do nothing but stare up as his uncle, mouth moving as he tried to form words. He was honestly scared by Aknadin's behavior, not sure how to handle it. His uncle was larger than him and stronger than him, even when he was so underfed. Aknadin had more experience fighting and he didn't have to worry about every injury transmitting to Yugi.

Gods. Yugi.

And Kysen.

"_Don't worry, little one, I'll come back."_

"_Don't say that unless you're sure."_

"_I mean every word."_

Atem groaned and rested his head against the ground, body trembling as he felt his uncle shift, the claws digging deeper into him.

Yugi would be in so much pain right now. And he wouldn't have any idea what was going on. He would just know that Atem was somewhere, getting hurt. And, being Yugi, he would rush out to see what was going on. Atem knew that, no matter how much Aknadin wanted to complete whatever insane ritual of killing him that the dragon had thought up, that he would not hesitate at the chance to hurt Yugi. Atem's eyes widened at the mental image of a broken Yugi begging him for help. He snarled and pushed his shoulders up, dislodging his uncle. He _would not_ allow that to happen.

Atem scrambled free, turning to hiss at Aknadin as the other dragon stepped forward. He waited a moment before launching himself into the air, tipping his head to see Aknadin following. Without a second thought, he called up his fire, feeling it ready at the back of his throat. He flipped over, using the move to drop behind Aknadin and let out a stream of fire, rolling away as the dragon screamed in pain and turned to breathe his own measly stream of fire at Atem. The black and red dragon easily stayed out of the way, heading for a higher altitude. He could just wear Aknadin down and everything would be easier to explain to the exhausted dragon.

His eyes widened as he saw Aknadin shoot past him, tail lashing out to catch Atem in the jaw. The black and red dragon grunted, pulling up to look up at his uncle. He had a moment of confusion before fire covered him, making him writhe as he pulled out of the stream. Atem snarled and lunged for Aknadin's back, claws tearing in before he pushed away. His uncle snapped at him, following.

Panting for breath, Atem lead the way through a series of acrobatics, eerily similar to those conducted during the mating flights. But these brought them into contact every time, each pulling away with more lacerations than before. Atem snarled and tipped his head to the side, just missing having his eyes gouged out. Aknadin screamed as one of the horns at the back of Atem's head sliced through his hand at the move, giving Atem the time to retreat a bit.

Blood dripped off the both of them, brilliant and bright where it first emerged from the wound, dulling to black as it rolled away from the source. Aknadin had the worst of it, his flight already unsteady after a few moments of combat. Atem smiled, red eyes sparkling with hope. There was a chance that he could win this thing after all.

He lunged forward, hind claws digging into Aknadin's legs as his front claws tore at his uncle's throat. Atem had a heady moment of victory before he felt a claw tear horizontally across his chest, ending on the left side, lifting up one scale and marring the others. Atem tried to pull away, snarling as he realized that Aknadin had a good hold on him. He ducked his head and released his hind claws, ready to protect his throat and stomach. But the attack never came. Instead, Aknadin just stared at Atem's chest.

Atem glanced down after a moment of confusion, swallowing when he realized that that lifted scale revealed the scar that sat over his heart. He winced as Aknadin held him tighter, fighting the urge to writhe to get away from his uncle. Aknadin made an unintelligible sound of surprise, looking up at him while he reached one claw out to tap the exposed scar. "You did this."

He nodded, not knowing what else to do. Aknadin looked back down at the scar, trembling. Atem was about to make another break for it when Aknadin looked back up, anger in his eyes. "You father gave up half his heart to save you, and you gave your heart away to a human. Why would you do such a thing? This," Atem screamed as Aknadin pressed the claws of one hand around his heart, the tips digging into his skin, "belongs to the dragons alone, not some human.

"Now who…" Aknadin blinked before he shook his head. "No. You couldn't have. Would you dare give it to that assassin?"

"Atem!" He turned at the sound of his mate's voice, giving a sigh of relief as he saw Yugi standing on the battlements, leaning heavily on the stone with one hand resting over his heart. Atem turned back to his uncle as Aknadin gave a hum, not liking the sound at all. He didn't have long to contemplate the sound as Aknadin removed his claws from around Atem's heart and dug them into his shoulder. Atem heard Yugi scream in pain, but the sound was drowned out by Aknadin's growl.

"You did! How did he convince you of that, Atem? Did he offer you a way out of your title, because there is no way out!" Aknadin laughed, the sound making Atem tremble and begin to struggle again, the need to get out of there taking precedence over pain. His uncle shook him, his attention going back to the dragon that was keeping him still. "How many times have I told you that you belong to the dragons?"

He let go of Atem, the black and red dragon dropping for a few feet before he opened his wings, nearly sobbing as his wounds throbbed. He skimmed over the ground, stumbling through his landing as he turned to face his uncle. Everything hurt now, his vision swimming in and out as he tried to cope with it. He shifted as his wounded shoulder, the one that Gozaburo had hit earlier protested, lifting his foot from the ground and sighing when the pain disappeared. He looked up in time to see Aknadin plow into him.

The both of them went sliding along the ground, scales tearing off as they came into contact with the rough ground. Atem was the first to untangle himself, taking to the air immediately and taking advantage of the breathing room. He looked wearily over at Yugi, who was still hanging onto the battlements, purple eyes wide as he watched Atem. The dragon nodded in his direction, barely having time to dodge the next attack by Aknadin.

He turned to face his uncle, the action too slow as he tired. Aknadin snatched him up again, Atem slumping in his hold as he felt all his energy drain away. He was just too tired and too beaten down. His eyes closed for a moment, allowing himself a brief moment of surrender before he would go back to fighting. His eyes snapped back open as he felt Aknadin's claws tear through his wing membranes, head tossed back to scream his pain to the stars. The thin membranes were too easily shredded, rendering him unable to fly.

Atem snarled, turning his head before scrambling over his uncle. If he didn't move then Aknadin would have let him drop to the ground. And he was _not_ going down that easily. He dug his claws into Aknadin, wincing as his uncle rose, twisting in the air as he tried to throw Atem off him. The black and red dragon kept an eye on the ground, smirking when they were high enough up.

He reached up to bite down on his uncle's neck, using that as a distraction as he shifted to get into a better position. The next moment, he tore through Aknadin's wing membranes, his smirk growing wider as his uncle screamed in pain. Quickly he attended to the other wing, rendering them to a similar state as his own. Then he pulled his torn wings to his sides and forced Aknadin to close his own. Gravity exerted its mastery over them a moment later, pulling them back towards the ground.

Atem shifted, clawing at his uncle as Aknadin tried to move. He snapped at his uncle's neck, using every trick he knew to keep Aknadin from flipping them over. He could survive this fall only if Aknadin took the brunt of it. He looked down at the ground, closing his eyes a moment later for impact. He felt Aknadin stop struggling a moment later, one thought ringing clear in his mind.

_Sorry Yugi._

Aknadin screamed as they landed, their combined weights shoving the older dragon into the ground. Atem was thrown free on impact, all his weight landing on his left hind leg. He screamed as the bone snapped under the force, frantically clawing at the slope to slow his slide down the hill. Atem gritted his teeth against the pain as his muscles trembled, finally coming to a stop. He hadn't slid far, but it still gave Aknadin the upper hand. Atem groaned and pressed his head into the ground, unable to bring himself to care. Neither of them was in any condition to continue to fight after this anyway. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to collapse.

For the longest time, he just allowed himself to breathe. A couple of coughs escaping from him, even the expansion of his chest making his wounds ache. He pressed his forehead against the ground, his claws digging into the ground as he tried to ride out the pain. In a few moments he would feel well enough to summon his magic and use it to patch himself up. And then he would find a nice place to not move for a long time. Or maybe Marik and Kisara would be nice enough to help him back south. He hissed as he shifted, trying to take the weight off his broken leg. Atem groaned as he managed to flip himself over, sighing now that the pressure was gone. He lay there, panting for air until a familiar voice made him look up.

"Atem!" He blinked as he saw Yugi being nearly carried over, leaning heavily on Bakura as the thief grudging helped the prince along. Atem whimpered as he saw Yugi trip, the prince nearly falling to the ground, only Bakura's quick reflexes keeping him up. The human went limp in Bakura's grip for a moment, one arm around the thief's waist and his other hand holding onto Bakura's arm. And even still, Yugi was sliding to the ground. Ryou rushed up behind them, trying to help hold the prince up.

The dragon had enough of this, rocking slightly so he was on his stomach instead of his side. Atem looked back, carefully pulling his good leg up under him and stretching the broken hind leg out so that it wouldn't be used when getting up. He looked back at Yugi, noticing that his movement had caused the prince to look up. Atem gave a soft trill before rocking onto his feet, biting back a scream of pain as he limped forward. He saw Yugi waver, trying to hurry his hobbling. "Don't move, love. I'll come to you."

He fell back to the ground closer to Yugi, the prince stumbling over to him as soon as he was down, leaning against Atem's head for support. The dragon gave another soft trill as he felt Yugi's tears hitting his scales. "Hush, my heart. Everything is alright."

"It hurts." Yugi managed to get the words out through clenched teeth, shifting so the weight was off his left leg. "How can you stand it? It has to be worse for you!"

"Oh, Yugi." Atem was about to close his eyes when he saw movement from behind them. He had come closer to Aknadin while trying to get to Yugi and hadn't even noticed it. He saw Aknadin's head come up, eyes glazed over in pain. Atem saw hatred flicker through Aknadin's eyes and watched the dragon attempt to stand up, fear shooting through him when Aknadin managed the feat. He tensed, watching his uncle before suddenly springing forward, leaving Ryou to rush and catch Yugi before he fell.

The two dragons collided in the air, Atem shoving Aknadin back to the ground. They both fell back to the ground, another snap of bone breaking heard. Atem opened his eyes cautiously, surprised to see Aknadin's neck bent at an awkward angle from an impact with a rock. He sat up a bit, hissing in pain before sinking back to the ground, too tired to do anything else. He had just helped kill his father and uncle. Atem closed his eyes with a moan, wanting to stop feeling.

His eyes snapped back open at the sound of shuffling, tipping his head so that he could see Yugi being helped back over to him. Atem nodded his thanks to Ryou and Bakura before he caught Yugi again. The prince winced as he stretched up to rub the spot above Atem's eye, drawing his hand back as it hit an open wound. Atem tried to make a comforting sound, but failed. He settled for a smile instead, content to have Yugi close.

"Gods!" He opened one eye at Kisara's exclamation, the woman looking at the two bleeding dragons on the ground. Atem saw Seto pull her close, keeping her away from both of them as they came to stop. He gave a thankful nod to Seto, not wanting Kisara fussing over him right now. He just needed a few more minutes to himself before he tried to heal himself with magic.

Atem whined as Yugi slid to the ground, unable to support himself anymore. "Love?"

"I'll be fine…but, gods," Yugi looked up at him, one arm shaking as he reached up to touch Atem, "it must hurt worse for you."

This time, he managed a purr, leaning into Yugi's touch. His purr stuttered to a stop as he saw Mahad walking up. He still did not trust the man but, since he was important to Yugi, he could tolerate the knight. Mahad was probably just here to help Yugi. Atem was distracted from further thoughts about Mahad as Marik and Paladin circled to find a place to land, the smaller dragon squeaking at the sight of Aknadin's dead body. Looking at the other dragons, he didn't notice Mahad pulling Bakura aside and whispering to the thief, or the thief's reaction of surprise before he finally nodded.

The next thing that Atem was aware of was that Yugi was being pulled away from him. He weakly tried to reach out for his mate, eyes widening as Mahad walked around him. He tried to shrink away from the knight, but his body wouldn't allow much movement. A weak snarl escaped him as he saw Mahad stop by his chest, suddenly wishing that he had the energy to roll onto his stomach. "What are you doing?"

He shuddered as the knight reached out to touch him, running a hand parallel to the cut on his chest until it was resting over his heart. He watched as the knight turned his head one way and then the other before looking up at Atem. "Can you heal yourself?"

"In a while, yes." Atem snapped out the words. "Enough to get me somewhere where I can heal properly. I'd need more than one dragon to heal me magically at the moment."

"And Yugi?"

"He'll be fine." He was growling continuously now, the vibrations hurting his wounds. "As long as I am fine, he will be."

Mahad sighed, taking a step back and running a hand through his hair. "Is there a chance that you won't recover completely?"

When had the knight cared this much about him? Atem bared his teeth, but refrained from snapping out the answer that he knew Mahad wanted to hear. It was as good a time as any to face the facts for himself. There was a chance that he wouldn't have the free range of moment that he did before, or that he would always limp because his hind leg couldn't take that much pressure anymore. Atem sighed and shut his eyes. "There is a _small_ chance that I might be a cripple for the rest of my life."

"I see." Atem trembled at the cold sound of his voice, eyes wide as he watched Mahad look down at his heart before glancing back at Yugi. Apparently, that was a signal of some sort because he heard Yugi yelp. He turned his head, wincing when his muscles protested. But it was enough to see Yugi. He snarled as he watched the thief keep a hold on the struggling Yugi. Atem stretched out his neck, trying to reach his mate, only to stop as Mahad lightly slapped him on the shoulder. "None of that, dragon."

"What are you doing?" He stared at the knight, snarling when Mahad reached for him again. "Let him go. Now!"

"I can't. He'll hurt himself." The knight's calm tone of voice made him pause, staring at Mahad with wide eyes. Atem glanced up at Yugi, whimpering as he noticed that the prince had stopped struggling, keeping his weight off of his left leg. A tap on his chest, just above his wounds made him look back down at the knight. Mahad gave a smile. "There we go."

Atem jumped at the sound of a sword being pulled out of its scabbard, breathing coming faster as he watched the steel being pulled free. He whimpered at the sight of blood, trying to wiggle away, but not able to. He heard Yugi scream out something, his heart pounding too loud to hear what he said. "No…please…"

"Don't beg, dragon. It won't do anything." Mahad stepped closer, whispering so Yugi couldn't hear him. "I can't take the chance that our king will be a cripple. The people already don't like him as much as his son."

"But…if you do this, then Yugi will die too."

"There are others who can lend him their hearts."

"It doesn't work that way!" Atem looked up at Yugi trying to summon his magic to protect them. He didn't want to leave Yugi.

"Listen, dragon." The knight hissed the two words out, sounding more like himself. Reluctantly, Atem looked down at him. Mahad looked up at Yugi before the detached look left his eyes. "I would rather have Yugi hate me for all eternity than watch him struggle through life in pain until the end of his days. He's been through enough already."

"Please…"

"No begging, dragon. We both know you're not like that."

"But you're a knight of the old code. 'His might upholds the weak.'"

"Don't quote that to me." Atem winced as the knight snapped at him, trembling at the touch of steel against him. "I _know_ the old code, but it is a human code alone, dragon, made for humans; never animals."

"Mahad…" Atem tried to get any words past his throat. He had seen this coming, he had felt like he was trying to dodge fate, and here it was coming to get him. It was never going to be a dragon that had killed him, but a human, trying desperately to get his world back together. And the dragons…how would they take it? He gave another whimper as he finally realized the truth about the Morningstar. Their deaths were interpreted however the dragons wanted and, in the end, it was just a meaningless death.

And he would still never see Yugi and Kysen again.

"Mahad…just let me live."

"No." Atem gaped at him, watching in frozen shock as Mahad moved, the point of his sword pressing against the scar once before Mahad backed up.

"No! Mahad don't you dare touch him!" He could hear Yugi struggling behind him, unable to look at his mate.

"You know this won't free him." Atem snarled the words out.

Mahad gave a shrug before bracing himself. "There's always hope."

And then he lunged forward.

And then the sky exploded.

* * *

Yugi slumped against Bakura, eyes flickering up towards the sky as a bright light descended from the stars. He squinted against the glare, his breath catching as two dragons appeared from the ball of light, both of them descending on the hill.

The first was a red dragon, its body long like a snake with an elaborate configuration of horns on the back of its head, and what looked like a blue jewel nestled just above where the crown of horns started. Spikes ran down its sinuous body and ended in a flicking tail. It's wings rested just above two small front legs, the back legs equally small, looking like they were just made for resting on. This dragon twisted and turned in the sky for a moment before easing its red body towards the ground, it's lower mouth opening as it finally touched the ground. Yugi shivered under the gaze of its solid yellow eyes, looking away and finding that he was looking at another dragon.

This one was gold and almost looked like it was made completely of metal, this one built more like Atem than the first dragon. The gold dragon had scales that surrounded its hawk-like head that resembled a headdress and even more decorative scales above its shoulder, elbows and on the outside of its knees. The outstretched wings had metal feathers, resembling bird wings more than dragon wings. The dragon glanced up at him, solid red eyes narrowing as it folded its wings shut against its sides. Yugi jumped, unable to tear his gaze away from those eyes as the dragon crouched on the ground.

As he followed the gold dragon, he found himself staring at Atem. He gasped and pulled himself free from Bakura, the thief too absorbed in the appearance of the newest dragons to bother about him. Yugi hobbled over to Atem, collapsing when he reached his lover's head. He nearly sobbed in relief when he saw that Atem was still breathing, although it had sped up as he stared up at the golden dragon who was crouched above him. Worried for his lover, Yugi ran his hands over Atem's head as he looked back at the other dragons, hoping that he could get their help in calming Atem down.

Marik, Kisara and Paladin were as low to the ground as they could get, although Kisara had given a deep curtsy to the two dragons before Seto had pulled her back to his side. Yugi looked at the two dragons who had become his friends, wondering what was going on. He licked his lips before standing up, using Atem to brace himself. He winced at the pain in his left leg, looking over Atem to see Mahad splayed out on the ground with a look of fear on his face, his sword forgotten by his side. Yugi sighed in relief, leaning against Atem and stroking his head. "It's alright now. Calm down."

The golden dragon leaned over to snap at Yugi, stopping when Atem weakly moved his head, baring his teeth briefly before his eyes slid closed. Yugi immediately began looking Atem over, assuring himself that his lover was alright. He ignored the stare of the golden dragon as he limped towards Atem's back, intent on checking out the damage.

Yugi came to a sudden halt as the golden dragon leaned over, its claws blocking his path. He blinked, surprised when the dragon ushered him back to Atem's head. Its red eyes were suddenly less frightening and more pity filled as the dragon looked at him. The golden dragon rocked back on its haunches, nodding at its red partner. The two exchanged long looks, no words spoken, but there was obviously still communication going on.

The prince saw the red dragon tense before it finally nodded, although it didn't look quite as happy with whatever agreement they had just come up with. Yugi didn't care, as long as his lover would be alright. He gently stroked Atem's head, trying not to tense under the curious stare of the two dragons. "You'll be fine. I promise. See, you didn't have to leave me."

There was a minute shake of his head, the most movement that Atem could accomplish at the moment. Yugi sighed, leaning his forehead against Atem before kissing the dragon. There was a faint rumble that might have been a purr. Yugi smiled, just pressing as much as his aching body against Atem's warmth as he could. They enjoyed a moment of quiet together before something made the hairs on the back of Yugi's neck stand up.

He sat up, eyes widening as he watched Aknadin's body dissolve into golden motes of light. He spun around to face the castle, similar golden sparks rising from within the walls and drifting down the hill towards them. Yugi pressed close to Atem again, trying to protect the dragon from the golden motes as they surrounding him. He flinched away from them, surprised when Atem tried to lift his head to touch them. The motes hesitated before dropping down to touch him. The faint vibration came as Atem tried to purr again, eyes falling shut as the golden dust drifted along his body.

Then, they drew away, the particles that had been Aknadin and Akhnamkanon mixed together so it was impossible to tell which was which anymore. They drifted into a cloud above Atem, still reluctant to leave their relative. It wasn't until the red dragon nudged them that they began to move, slowly moving up into the sky. The red dragon pushed off the ground, circling himself around the cloud of gold and pushing his muzzle into the middle for a moment before unwinding himself and nudging them upwards.

Yugi leaned backwards, watching the dragon guide the two souls to the sky, smiling when the recognized their destination as the dragon constellation. He was glad that the both of the dragons had gotten their place in heaven, both of them having gone through much. Yugi stroked Atem's head, looking down to see him following the progress of his father and uncle. The prince leaned down to kiss Atem, sighing at the feel of Atem by him. He wasn't going to lose Atem. Everything would be fine.

He started when the golden dragon gently nudged him out of the way, jumping at the burning heat that came from the dragon. It blinked in apology before reaching down and picking up Atem, slowly opening its wings as it lifted the black and red dragon. Yugi sat down on the ground, limbs not strong enough to hold him as he watched the gold dragon. He chewed on his bottom lip as he stared at Atem, hating that his dragon wasn't moving much, just hanging limp in the other dragon's hold. It reminded him too much of their first day in the south, when he had no idea what was going on.

The prince started out of his thoughts as he saw the golden dragon bend its knees, getting ready to fly. But that meant that it would be returning…and it was still holding Atem. Which meant that it was taking Atem back with it. Yugi slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes going wide as the dragon looked back down at him, tipping its head to the side at the human's strange behavior before glancing up at the stars and pushing off the ground.

Yugi tried to dart forward, landing hard on his stomach with a cry of pain. He felt Mahad's hand on his shoulder, but ignored the knight as he stared up at the dragon that was taking Atem away. Frantic, he turned to Marik, their eyes meeting. "Please, don't let them take him."

"Yugi…" Marik finally shrugged, looking down at his claws. "There's nothing I can do. The gods have made their choice."

"No! I promised him…" Yugi tried to stand up, ruthlessly shaking Mahad's offer of support off as he stared up at the sky. The conviction in his voice died to a mere whisper as he realized how far away the golden dragon was now, drawing the light back around itself and Atem. Yugi wrapped one arm around his stomach, feeling it roll, and placed one hand on his heart, wanting to make sure that he was still alive, because this all felt like a horrible dream. He swayed in place, ready to fall to the ground again at any moment, but only staying up through sheer force of will. "I promised him that he wouldn't lose us."

His mouth suddenly felt dry as he realized what was happening. How would he tell Kysen? The infant would look for Atem, knowing that the dragon should be there. How was he to get Kysen to sleep without the comforting warmth of the dragon? How was he supposed to sleep without Atem there? Yugi whimpered, holding himself tighter as he puzzled these things over. What would happen now?

If Atem was really being taken by the gods to the dragon heaven, then that would mean that his heart would be stopping, which would kill Yugi too. And he would let it happen, he wouldn't accept another heart from another dragon because, deep down, he knew that it wouldn't work. It was a one time thing, and his second chance had just disappeared.

He sunk to his knees, his whole body quaking as he realized the enormity of the situation. What would happen to Kysen now? Would the infant be forced into the world of politics, crowned king with a regent and never learn of life outside the castle? Would he even be told about his father and the dragon, or would Yugi just appear in time to help the rebellion and then quietly die a noble death? Yugi turned his head to look at Kisara, watching her nod slowly. They had an understanding. Yugi could trust Kisara to look after his son once all of this was over.

"Yugi?" He stiffened at the sound of Mahad's voice, turning his head back to face front. He didn't move as Mahad knelt down beside him, trying to see his face. "My king?"

Yugi wanted to say something, say anything to the knight who had worked so hard to end his happiness. But Mahad had also been there through it all. He _understood_ why Mahad had done all of this, and that just made it worse. He could see both sides of this so he couldn't just blindly place blame as he wanted to. His personality would not allow it. He would have to see this thing from both sides. He closed his eyes, feeling the last of his tears fall. He was done crying now, there was just nothing left. He sighed and slumped. "Help them clean up, Mahad."

_I hate you._

He wanted to say that. He wanted to scream it out and turn on Mahad, wanting to know why the knight had conspired to take the one thing that meant most away from him. Why he couldn't accept the way this had turned out? Why didn't the knight get that the world had changed and that you had to change with it? But Mahad would go on in his way, teaching the old code to the next generation while they all strayed far from it. He had grown away from Mahad somewhere along the line, finding that he could understand the knight, but never follow him with the blind devotion of before. Mahad had changed or Yugi had grown up or a bit of both.

He winced as Mahad patted his shoulder and stood up, shooing the rest of them back to the castle, probably for a celebration. One that he wouldn't have joined even if he could. He had planned to spend the night with Kysen away, or at least for a bit of it, and comfort Atem any way he could. They could celebrate later when the death was not so fresh. And then they would have gone back south to spread the news. Yugi winced. His grandfather would never know what happened to him, the one family member that he had left would never know.

He tipped his head to look back at the stars, easily finding the dragon constellation. A smile crossed his face, all too easily seeing Atem up there now. It would never look like all of those dragons he had sketched in his small attempt to have them remembered again. It would always look like the dragon that had been taken away from him too soon. He rested a hand over his heart, his smile turning sad. "I love you, Atem. You and only you."

His eyes went wide, hand falling from his heart as he watched the stars. The stars in the dragon constellation were beginning to pull inwards, surrounding two new stars in a greeting ceremony. They circled around each other, circling until they were in a close group. For a moment, all of the stars seemed to glow more brightly, even expanding before they all exploded outwards into little golden pieces. Yugi gasped, lifting one arm to cover his face at the bright light. He froze at the roar that echoed through the sky.

His arm dropped back to his side, mouth dropping open as the shape of a dragon, outlined in the gold from the stars, appeared in the sky. The outlined dragon stretched its wings out, looking like it was about to take flight, head tipping back to give another roar. Yugi's eyes widened as the golden light began to drift behind the dragon, bringing out the red on the outer edges of its wings. He then realized how close the dragon was.

Heart beating fast, Yugi scrambled to his feet, not aware that he felt no pain when doing so. The dragon folded its wings, plummeting close to the ground before snapping open its wings and skimming up to the hill toward Yugi. The prince let out a laugh as the dragon flew past him, the wind from its passage nearly knocking him over. He steadied himself, about to turn around when wings blocked his view of the hill, the barrier making him back up into the familiar head and feel of it pressing against his back.

Yugi spun around, pulling Atem close to him and reaching up for the spot above his eye, glad when there was no blood there. Atem purred, the real sound and not the faint vibration of before, and pressed even closer to Yugi. "My heart…love…" Atem let out a groan as Yugi leaned against him, kissing the warm scales. "Yugi."

The prince gave another weak laugh, cuddling Atem close. He quickly brought one hand down, the other finding that spot beneath Atem's jaw that made the dragon squirm. Yugi gasped as Atem moaned, the vibrations from the sound going right through him. He returned the sound, leaning against his lover as he panted for breath. "I thought…"

Atem shushed him, pulling his head back so he could look Yugi in the eyes. "So did I. But I'm here, I'm whole, and that's all that matters."

The wings were withdrawn and folded back against Atem's sides as the dragon knelt. Yugi gleefully scrambled up onto the dragon's back, clinging to Atem as he stood back up. Both of them looked back to the castle at the loud cheer that came from the courtyard. Atem looked at Yugi, tilting his head to the side. The prince shook his head, running his hands over Atem's scales, unable to get enough of the feel of his dragon. "It's not for us. Besides, we have one person waiting for us."

Atem smiled, opening his wings and giving a powerful downbeat to launch them into the air. He didn't rise into the sky, but instead skimmed over the ground, just rising high enough to not run into trees. Yugi laughed and sat up straight, sucking in deep breaths of the night air as they flew. A rumble from Atem warned him to lean close to him as they dove into the trees. Yugi carefully opened his eyes when the slap of branches against his back was gone. He stroked Atem's neck one more time before sliding off the dragon.

He bounced slightly upon landing, running ahead and enjoying the feeling of having his left leg working properly again. He heard Atem laugh as he followed him at a more sedate pace. Yugi gave a little skip step as he turned around, motioning for Atem to hurry and only getting the dragon to walk faster. He rolled his eyes at the dragon before nearly running back to the place where he had left Kysen.

Yugi came to an abrupt stop as he saw a burned man kneeling by where Kysen and Mokuba were. He looked up, seeming surprised before he recovered. He pushed away from the two infants, smiling at Yugi and Atem. "I can see why she loved you and I'm glad she found you before she died."

The prince blushed and looked away, staring at his son before looking up at the burned man. The man smirked and touched the marks on his neck, shaking his head. "I got these protecting her…and him too." He sighed, flicking his hair out of his eyes. "But, I have to ask, what happens now. Her plan was to have him-"

"Kysen," Atem interrupted.

"Yes, Kysen." The man smiled at the name. "Well, Tèa wanted him to be king, like his father was supposed to be because he would understand us. But now that you're here…"

"No. I can't. And I plan to raise him."

The man nodded, the smile not disappearing from his face. "I bet he would be happier away from all of that royal mess. I know it was hell when I dealt with it and that was only the edge. Besides," the burned man paused, "I wouldn't want Mahad teaching him how to survive in the world."

Yugi stepped forward to collect Kysen, staying kneeling when Atem walked up to the man, lowering his head to look at the man. "Do you want those marks to be healed?"

"They can be annoying sometimes," the man seemed to think it over before waving his hand, "go ahead. But just leave something somewhere."

"Like old scars." Atem smiled before the black tendrils of magic jumped from the ground, wrapping around the man and gently brushing over the burn marks, fading them until Atem called the magic back. The man rubbed his hands over the scars, a smile on his face.

"I wish you luck, Yugi." He stared at the prince, tapping his arm with a smile on his face. "Or should I call you the name that the poet fashioned for you?"

Yugi and Atem winced, the prince looking over his shoulder at the man. "And what is that?"

"Yugi Dragonheart." The man gave them a wave farewell before walking off, leaving Yugi sputtering as Atem dangled his head over Yugi, peering down at Kysen. They stayed like this until a shout brought Yugi out of his slightly shocked state. He turned, rocking Kysen as he started to complain. It was Atem who greeted the two coming through the woods.

"Kisara and…mate."

"You…you…" Kisara finally rolled her eyes and rushed forward to hug her friend, tears of joy running down her face. "You impossible dragon."

Atem smirked before looking Seto up and down, finally snorting. "He'll do…I guess."

Seto folded his arms, giving the dragon a long glare before leaning back over to Yugi. "So, why do you keep the dragon around Yugi? Not that I'd trust him with your lives anymore."

Yugi waved off his cousin with one hand, beginning to pace, the motion sending Kysen to sleep. The prince smirked as he saw Seto attempting to discretely look at his son, one eyebrow rising as he saw the likeness between Yugi and the infant. Yugi smiled at his cousin. "Yes, he's mine. And the dragon is my…mate."

He never thought he would never get his cousin to display complete surprise, but he managed with that one. Seto's mouth hung open, closing every once and a while as he tried to form words. Yugi shook his head, walking back over to Kisara and smiling down at the infant that she held in her arms. Ignoring his cousin for the moment, he waited for Kisara to finish checking over her son before talking to her. "I'm abdicating from the throne, and I'm taking Kysen away from this. If he wants to come back one day, then he can, but I don't want to. This world…it's changed and I can't look at it the same way anymore. And, the people never really wanted me in the first place. They've only changed because I was the only one that could help them."

Kisara nodded understandingly, walking over to stand by Seto. "It's alright Yugi. You just enjoy yourself." She paused, taking Seto's hand before handing Mokuba to his father. Yugi smiled to himself as he watched Seto's mask slip a bit as he held his son. "Just come back for the coronation and possibly the wedding, if they demand it."

"You!" Yugi held out a hand to keep Atem from lunging forward. The dragon snarled before finally backing down, shooting angry glares at Seto.

"We'll make it. See you Seto." He motioned for Atem to get down, easily climbing onto the dragon's back and leaning forward to protect Kysen from the branches as they took off. He gave a quick wave to the two below before clinging to Atem as the dragon rose back into the sky. Atem immediately turned toward the south, wings beating steadily.

There was a comfortable silence that stretched between them as they flew towards the south, neither of them in any hurry to return. Yugi smiled down at Kysen, sleeping soundly, before tucking the infant's blanket tighter around him. He caught Atem looking over his shoulder before searching the sky ahead of him. The prince gave a sigh, tipping his head back and enjoying the wind over his face.

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_One more chapter left._

_Read and review please. Criticism is welcome._


	19. Epilogue: The Beginning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Author's Note:** Welcome to the last chapter. I'd like to thank you all for taking the time to read this and review. I can safely say that this was one of my favorite stories to write and I'm glad that so many people enjoyed it. Thanks again and enjoy the last chapter.

**Author's Note:** Welcome to the last chapter. I'd like to thank you all for taking the time to read this and review. I can safely say that this was one of my favorite stories to write and I'm glad that so many people enjoyed it. Thanks again and enjoy the last chapter.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Dragonheart; they are the property of their respective owners. I do, however, own bits of the plot and Kysen.

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**   
Epilogue: The Beginning   
**

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_This is a tale of a Knight who slew a Dragon and vanquished evil._   
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**

Atem flicked his tail back and forth, watching as Kysen tried to reach it. The twelve month old looked up at the dragon, pouting. Atem gave a soft trill, but still continued the motion. Kysen tried the pout once more before giving up. The dragon laughed, turning his head back to the doors of the chapel. About a half an hour ago, Yugi had rushed out to give Atem the sobbing Kysen before darting back in. Since the rebellion, Kysen had been insecure when one parent wasn't there for a long time, breaking into tears when he could not find the missing parent.

The dragon snapped out of his daze as people spilled from the church, most jumping as they saw him there. He tried not to roll his eyes, annoyed that he had been forgotten so easily. But, then again, some people had already forgotten why they had turned to Yugi in the first place; his mate going back to his former status as the witch's son. Strangely enough, Yugi was happy with this, being more relaxed than he had been when the people had wanted him as their king.

And, while Tèa was still remembered as a martyr, her son had slipped into obscurity. They only remembered Kysen when they had brought him to the castle. And then they would get the exclamations of how adorable he was; all while Atem was stared at. He shrugged, pulling in his limbs as the people rushed past into the reception. He hadn't seen Seto or Kisara in the initial rush, but he had been too worried about moving Kysen out of the way of the mob of people who had come to attend a royal wedding.

The coronation had been just after the rebellion, Seto being set on the throne before the kingdom could dissolve into total anarchy. It was their only choice after Yugi had announced his abdication through his cousin and Seto had pointed out that no one else seemed to want the job. The months between then and now had passed in a flurry of activity as Seto tried to get his kingdom back in order before he turned any of that money to himself, much to Kisara's ire as they were expecting their second child next month.

It had been, as she had confessed to Atem, "Nothing like I expected. I had this odd expectation that I would be normal sized, for a human," she had snapped out that last part as he was snickering, "and actually have us able to _do_ something on our honeymoon instead of me trying to convince my back not to murder me and Seto attempting to explain to Mokuba that we can't send this baby away."

When he had expressed his skepticism about Mokuba actually knowing about his upcoming sibling, Kisara had merely pointed out the many instances that he would point at his mother's stomach before pointing out the door in a demanding fashion, which had made Atem laugh until his sides hurt.

"Dada!" Atem was torn from his thoughts at Kysen's joyous shout, knowing that Yugi was coming into sight. The dragon was usually 'Tem. He smiled at his mate, going back to the gentle flicks of his tail, knowing that Kysen would eventually be distracted, giving him some time to talk to his mate. Sure enough, the little boy was chasing after his tail from his seated position.

"You torment him." Yugi said the sentence with a smile, reached out to stroke Atem. The dragon gave a purr, rubbing his head against Yugi.

"He enjoys it. Don't you, little one." Atem turned around just in time to see Kysen pouting again as the tail was moved out of is reach. Apparently becoming fed up with him, Kysen pushed up from the ground and wobbled on his feet, Atem curling his tail around the baby in case Kysen started to fall. The little boy didn't need his help as he waddling towards his father, Yugi taking a step forward before crouching on the ground, catching Kysen as he tipped over. He picked up his son, smiling as the little boy celebrated his walk halfway up the length of the dragon. Atem laughed himself, moving his head to whisper into Yugi's ear. "You weren't complaining about my torment last night, my heart."

Yugi blushed and was ready to hurry away when he caught sight of someone else emerging from the church, the sudden lack of motion from his mate drawing Atem's attention to the person. It was only Yugi's presence that kept him from snarling at Mahad as the knight crossed the courtyard. He knew that Yugi still liked Mahad, for reasons unknown to the dragon. The knight glanced over at them, brow furrowing before he walked quickly towards the prepared feast.

The knight had been furious when he found out that Yugi would not be taking the throne, instead passing it off to Seto. Mahad still couldn't understand why Yugi had avoided his duty, choosing to stay with the dragon and raise his son. The knight had confronted Yugi only once since his attempt to kill Atem that night, nearly begging Yugi to come back to the kingdom. His mate had declined again, which had led to him and Mahad in a room, shouting at each other for hours. Atem still didn't know what was said behind closed doors, Yugi refusing to tell him. But Yugi's face was enough to convince him that he didn't want to know. He had never seen his usually mild mate so angry in his life.

Yugi gave a nod of recognition to Mahad, the knight not paying him any attention. Atem snorted, restrained from making any other sound by Yugi's hand on his side. The dragon looked back at Yugi, a question in his eyes. Yugi simply shook his head, a long sigh escaping him. Kysen tightened his grip on his father, eyes tearing up as he realized that Yugi was not happy about something. Atem moved, turning so Kysen could reach him and purring. "Hush, little one. It's fine. You haven't done anything."

Kysen quieted, giggling as he ran his hand over Atem's muzzle. The black and red dragon rolled his eyes, but allowed Kysen to continue for a short while before pulling away with a chuckle. "Just like your father, little one."

The dragon tensed as he saw the knight pause at the threshold of the great hall, looking back at them before shaking his head and getting lost in the crowd. Atem narrowed his eyes, glaring at Mahad even though the knight could no longer see them. Knowing Mahad, he probably still thought that Atem had Yugi under some spell, controlling the human to keep Yugi from carrying out his duty. Nothing that he or Yugi said had ever changed the view of the knight.

If Mahad hadn't tried to kill him, Atem could have almost allowed himself to feel pity for the knight, knowing what it felt like to watching as your whole world shattered around you. Atem had lived through it, but nothing had turned out of the same and nothing could turn it back to before. Mahad was rushing frantically to try and bring the past back, clinging to what was left of that time to try and resurrect what was never coming back. Atem shook his head with a sigh, he would never understand that knight.

Yugi turned away from his former mentor at a shout from someone who was still loitering outside. He looked up, waving with his free hand to Ryou before heading over. Atem stood up and followed his mate over to the steps, knowing that he should not bother trying to join in the reception. Yugi was ready for that too, already having made his apologies to the bride, groom and his nephew. They planned to get a start heading back down south, knowing that their group of nomads was at the furthest point of their range at this time.

Atem gave a nod to the poet, craning his head to see if he could spot the thief. For a moment, he was worried that Bakura had finally acted on his threats and had run off, leaving Ryou on his own. For all his good points, Ryou could be a bit out of it at times. Bakura was the one who grounded him, kept him firmly in the real world when his head threatened to float away. Thankfully, the thief appeared by the poet's side a moment later, smirking at the two of them. Atem took a step back, not liking the look on Bakura's face.

"Have you heard the news?"

"What news?" Yugi switched Kysen to his other arm, Atem coming up to stand behind them.

The thief gave another smile, the effect even less appealing a second time. "The story of the Morningstar and Dragonheart has been spreading like wildfire since Ryou finished it. There's a bard somewhere trying to put it to music, but isn't really having any luck."

"Really?" Atem rolled his eyes at Yugi's interest. Of course his mate would be excited about the break for Ryou, and the dragon was glad for their poet friend too. The part that made him worry was that they had no idea of what the content of that little epic was. He cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the three.

"And what, exactly are they calling this thing?"

Ryou was the one to answer. "Well, there are actually two versions, the one for the histories that Seto wants me to compile and the one that caters to the everyday people."

"Which is?"

"A tale of high adventure, great peril and romantic intrigue. Although the last part is toned down a bit when guys are around. The ladies, however, seem to love it." Ryou tapped his arm with a finger, not noticing the twin looks of shock on Atem and Yugi's faces. "I often wonder about that and have started an experiment."

Atem took a deep breath, repeating his question since Yugi couldn't seem to get his mouth working. "Which is?"

"I intend to compose a tale with is, for the most part, without a plot." Ryou blushed at the thought, scratching the back of his head. "Although, it's a bit of a stretch for me because I don't usually _do_ such a thing…but the ladies do seem to like it. So…I'm going to do a version of the tale just for them, except with all the parts removed for the history and the general story back in."

Ryou paused and the stare that Yugi and Atem gave him, one hand still waving around from his talking. Atem watching the limb slow and finally stop as Ryou blushed furiously. "It will actually focus more on Bakura and myself as well as you two. How we each met and life with each other and so on." He paused, lowering his voice. "Without censoring events."

"Oh gods." Atem rested his head against Yugi to keep his mate standing his own mind reeling with the implications. If that ever got out…then they wouldn't be able to show their faces up here again. Or they would be too welcome up here. Atem gave a shudder, looking over Yugi's shoulder to stare at Bakura, almost laughing when he saw that Bakura had not realized that _he_ would be included in this tale. The dragon gently nudged Yugi, drawing the man out of his stunned and horrified state. "W-we have to go. Lot's of miles to cover."

Ryou gave a smile and a nod, waving them on. "Say hello to everyone for me and Bakura. We're trying to make it down there, eventually. Bakura says he needs a break from the high class, some are starting to get suspicious."

"Of him?" Yugi shot a sideways glance at the thief, only to have Bakura smirk back at him.

"No. They think they _might_ have a thief in their midst. Nothing more." He rubbed his hands together. "So I say let them stew over that and set up whatever traps they might like before I come back and try them again."

"Of course." Atem said dryly as he lay down on the ground, allowing Yugi to climb onto his back. He nodded at Bakura and Ryou before taking off, rising on the nearest thermal before turning himself south. His eyes slid over to the white castle on one of the far hills, the only remains of Gozaburo's influence on the land. Seto had moved back to the original castle as soon as it had been prepared and restored, not wanting to be king with that kind of image behind him.

"Oh gods." He was drawn out of his thoughts as he heard Yugi muttering to himself, turning his head around to see his mate holding Kysen securely around the waist as they flew. "All of that…and…they _like_ it. Oh, gods."

"Don't worry, love. Ryou will change the names, hopefully."

"That's not helping."

Atem gave a small tilt to his head instead of a shrug before turning his head back in the direction they were heading, eyes narrowing as he picked up speed. He wanted to cover as much distance as he could while there were thermals and while Kysen was feeling amiable. From his back, he heard the little boy laugh, a smile breaking across his muzzle. "You like this, little one!"

Kysen clapped his hands making Atem laugh. The dragon turned his head to look at Yugi, turning his head to the side. "It's been a long time since you've flown, Yugi."

"Yes. But it was just one time."

"Mm, but you were a very attractive dragon."

Yugi perked up, suspicious for a minute. "Really?"

"Of course." Atem gave a sly smile. "And, once we get back, you can fly again."

"Is it going to end up the same way as the first time?"

Atem gave a purr in affirmation, watching as Yugi's eye became dazed for a moment before he refocused and blushed. The dragon blinked. "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

"No." The black and red dragon nodded to himself, the dreamy quality to Yugi's voice telling him all.

"And, it will be good practice for some of the more…interesting traditions we have."

"Like?" Yugi was accepting his challenge now. This was good.

"Reaffirmation flights." When Yugi said nothing, Atem turned his head back around to look his mate in the eye. "If you can catch me, you can keep me."

"Is that a challenge?"

Atem purred. "It might be."

* * *

Under the light of a few moon days later, two dragons circled each other, the soft light glittering off shiny scales. The black and red dragon brushed over his black and purple partner, enjoying the soft coo that his partner made before returned the attention to him, the two of them twisting in the moonlight, never straying far from the other.

END


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